text:
Let's be honest — we really are OBSESSIVE about UPDATING the Universal Orlando insider information found on this site. Because we have so many updates, we provide this page listing everything we've updated so you always know what's new on our site and at the Universal Orlando parks.
We recommend that you bookmark this page. Many readers familiar with our site find this as a great place to visit again and again to learn the latest info.
Would you rather have us deliver updates directly to your email inbox or favorite social network? If so, you can join our weekly email list or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+.
November 2014
11/21 – On this week's Orlando Informer Minute: The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts opens in Orlando, Skyscraper at SKYPLEX incredible ride through, world's tallest StarFlyer coming to I-Drive, and more. You can view our latest video and its transcript in the OI Forums, then make sure you don't miss next week's episode by subscribing to our YouTube channel!
11/20 – For our mid-month calendar update, we've accounted for the changes Universal has made to its December hours: the parks will be open an hour later during the weekend of December 6, the opening of the parks' holiday festivities. Later in the month, two more changes: USF closes an hour earlier from December 20 to 25 and IOA will open an hour earlier during those same dates. To view full details of our latest update and see all our info, visit our FREE 12-month Universal crowd calendar.
11/20 – FYI: for those planning their December visits, please note that our pages covering Universal's Thanksgiving and holiday festivities are updated. However, as of November 20, we're still waiting for the resort to announce details for its big CityWalk New Year's Eve bash. In the meantime, you can see what they did last year by clicking here.
11/17 – We visited Universal early Monday to check out the crowds at CityWalk, where One Direction performed live as part of a TODAY Show appearance. You can now view our 149 photos on our Flickr page (November 17 album), which also includes a full tour of the parks. Curious how the One Direction event went for fans who were on-site starting at 2:00am? Pick up the conversation in the OI Forums.
TIP: Twitter has redesigned their timeline page to make it much easier to view photos and their captions. So if you look through our Flickr album and wonder what the heck it is we're taking shots of, view our Twitter timeline for guidance. Remember, you don't have to sign up for Twitter to see everything we post over there.
11/14 – On this week's Orlando Informer Minute: Every Witch Way Weekend coming to Universal in December, holiday deals & details for Busch Gardens and LEGOLAND, EyeCapsules arrive at the Orlando Eye, and more. You can view our latest video and its transcript in the OI Forums, then make sure you don't miss next week's episode by subscribing to our YouTube channel.
11/12 – On November 17 & 18, global pop sensation One Direction will descend on Universal for a set of special performances: one as part of a live TODAY Show appearance Monday morning (free and open to the public on a first-come-first-served basis), and a second as part of a TV special taping Tuesday evening (paid admission required but now sold out). To learn more, view our ongoing discussion in the OI Forums. And we'll be on-site later Monday morning – follow us on Twitter for live photo updates!
11/11 – The Garden Bridge & Walkway connecting Cabana Bay Beach Resort to Universal CityWalk (and the theme parks) is now open. For a full video and photo tour as well as a map and additional details about the walk, visit our Cabana Bay: Distance from the parks page!
11/10 – November 3 through December 18 (excluding blockout dates), Universal is granting Annual Passholders access to Diagon Alley for Early Park Admission on weekdays. In other words, Monday through Friday now until December 18, Passholders can get into Diagon Alley at the same time as other guests with the Early Park Admission benefit. This is good for all Annual Passholders (Power, Preferred, and Premier). Blockout dates apply: November 17 and November 24 – 28. To learn more, visit our Guide to Early Park Admission.
11/10 – If you're familiar with the thrill rides at Universal, you likely know that loose articles are not permitted on them, but you were okay if you could fit something in your pocket. The parks have now taken this a step further for Rip Ride Rockit (USF) and Incredible Hulk (IOA). On these rides, no personal items are permitted, even if you can fit them into your pockets. This includes cell phones, wallets, keys, loose changes, and hats. Of course, free lockers are available for your convenience (learn more in our locker guide).
11/8 – We visited Universal on Friday evening, and you can now view the 131 photos from the trip on our Flickr page (November 7 album), including a full tour of the newly opened Garden Bridge & Walkway connecting Cabana Bay Beach Resort to Universal CityWalk. We also have a video of the new area uploaded to our YouTube channel.
11/8 – On this week's Orlando Informer Minute: The Cowfish opens at Universal CityWalk, two new venues announced for I-Drive 360, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party kicks off, and more. You can view our latest video and its transcript in the OI Forums, then make sure you don't miss next week's episode by subscribing to our YouTube channel.
11/6 – Universal has announced its initial lineup for 2015's "A Celebration of Harry Potter" event, taking place January 30 through February 1. Film talent includes Michael Gambon (Albus Dumbledoor), Robbie Coltrane (Rubeus Hagrid), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), and James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley). The resort has also promised autograph sessions, which were absent from the 2014 Harry Potter Celebration. For a full breakdown of all that has been announced, visit our new post in the OI Forums.
11/5 – From holiday buffets with live entertainment to a tree-lighting luau and Holiday Harbor Nights, see what Universal is cooking up this year for Thanksgiving by clicking here.
11/4 – UNIVERSAL'S EPIC SALES EVENT: For just $99 per night, you can stay at Cabana Bay Beach Resort with a FREE upgrade to a Family Suite and a FREE pair of Blue Man Group tickets! If you don't already have admission to the parks, you can add that on and still keep the price as low as $119 per night. This sale is only good through Thursday, November 6. Restrictions apply. Contact Jenn, our trusted travel partner, right now via email, or you can learn more about her free services.
11/3 – After being closed for much of September and all of October (during the running of Halloween Horror Nights 2014), Cinematic Spectacular is again scheduled to run regularly at USF's park closing time and should continue to run well into the new year. However, do keep in mind that the evening lagoon show only runs when USF closes at 7:00pm or later. So just as an example, since USF is closing at 6:00pm on November 4 and 5, Cinematic Spectacular will not run those evening. To see Universal's park hours, visit our free 12-month crowd calendar. To learn more about the actual performance and read real guest reviews, visit our Cinematic Spectacular page.
11/3 – Veterans Day Parade: In honor of those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, Universal Orlando's Veterans Network – comprised of more than 400 team members – will march in a special parade at Universal Studios Florida on Monday, November 10 at 11:00am starting in front of Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revue. Joining the UO Veterans will be multi-branch color guards of Active Duty, Reserve Centers and Local JROTC High School units, drill teams, the Jones High School Marching Band, and more. For more information, visit our Universal Snapshot page.
11/3 – CityWalk updates: The "Steve Harvey" Show is taping at CityWalk Tuesday through Thursday this week (more details in the OI Forums); Universal has announced that its parking garages will open at 3:00am for the One Direction appearance on November 17 (more details in the OI forums); and The Cowfish, last of the eight new venues introduced at CityWalk as part of its 2014 expansion, soft opened for the first time to the general public – read our full review!
11/3 – On Friday, November 28, usher in the Christmas season at Portofino Bay Hotel's Holiday Harbor Nights, a wine and music event designed to capture the ambiance of the Mediterranean. The evening will feature select wines and sparkling wines, gourmet food, live music, and the grand illumination of Portofino Bay Hotel's majestic Christmas tree under the twinkling lights of the Harbor Piazza! For more special events, check out our Universal Snapshot page.
October 2014
10/31 – On this week's Orlando Informer Minute (packed with news because we missed last week!): The "Steve Harvey" show is coming to Universal Orlando, SeaWorld and LEGOLAND offer Veteran's Day discounts through November, the sorcerer's hat is leaving Disney's Hollywood Studios, and so much more. You can view our latest video and its transcript in the OI Forums, then make sure you don't miss next week's episode by subscribing to our YouTube channel.
10/29 – This is a big one! Universal now sells "Universal Express Unlimited" tickets online and over the phone. Previously, unlimited Express Passes sold as a standalone ticket were only available for purchase on-site at Universal. All the information in our Complete insider's guide to Universal Express has been updated to reflect this change, including how the pricing of this new option compares to bundling Express access with a Park-to-Park ticket.
10/28 – A new month starts this Saturday, so we've added a new month to our crowd calendar: you can now view October 2015. In addition, Universal has updated some of its hours for November of this year. Guests visiting the parks soon will want to note Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure close at 6:00pm on several upcoming dates. See it all by visiting our FREE 12-month Universal crowd calendar.
UPDATE: This Saturday, November 1, is the final event date of HHN 2014, and like all the previous event dates, Universal Studios Florida is now scheduled to open at 8:00am (with Early Park Admission scheduled for 7:00am). Then, starting Sunday, November 2, USF moves back to its normal 9:00am opening time (with EPA at 8:00am) all the way until the last week in December.
10/28 – VEVO (the music video folks) and Just Dance (the video game franchise) each have joined up with One Direction to launch more sweepstakes for the band's November 17 appearance at Universal Orlando: grand prize is a vacation package for three guests that includes round-trip airfare, three nights at Cabana Bay Beach Resort, admission to the parks, and access to a taping of a special performance by One Direction. For more information, visit this post in the OI Forums.
10/28 – On Friday, November 7, join your friends at Royal Pacific Resort for Jake's Beer Dinner: a uniquely local dining adventure! Enjoy a four-course dinner featuring Terrapin Beer Co. craft beers. Each course is specially created and paired with a selection from Terrapin by the resort's award-winning chefs. You can view the menu (PDF file), or you can get pricing and reservation information by calling 407-503-3200. For more special events, check out our Universal Snapshot page.
10/27 – This week Halloween Horror Nights runs Wednesday through Saturday. Even though this marks the end of the season, we're still expecting big crowds, so please read through our HHN early admission page, print out our free HHN 2014 touring plan, and see what real guests have thought of the event in our review section. You can access all of this in our Insider's guide to HHN 2014. Have questions? We have answers in the OI Forums.
10/24 – Rosie and I took a vacation for a few days (our first couples' vacation since Orlando Informer opened), so we won't be posting updates daily for a bit. I'll be back to work as usual on Tuesday, October 28. Thanks for your patience.
10/20 – For the first time in the show's history, Chicago-based "Steve Harvey" will take the show on the road next month, broadcasting a week's worth of episodes from Universal Orlando. The episodes will be taped in front of a live audience at Universal's CityWalk Lagoon Stage on November 4, 5 and 6 and will air November 17 – 21, 2014. To learn more and see all the upcoming events on the books, visit our Universal Snapshot page.
10/20 – Did you know that fans just like you have submitted over 75 "real guest reviews" of Halloween Horror Nights 2014? See what they're saying (or share your own review) by clicking here. Or to start back at the very beginning of your planning, visit the overview page in our Insider's guide to HHN 2014.
10/20 – Are you thinking this right now: "I love your site, but all the new stuff at Universal has got me a little confused – like, what ticket do I need for the Hogwarts Express?" If you don't have the time to plan every detail yourself, we can help! Orlando Informer honored to work with Jennifer Green of Destinations in Florida. She can assist you with your trips to Universal, Disney, and more. Best of all, her services are free to you. Seriously. To get in touch, simply complete this form, or you can learn more by visiting OrlandoInformer.com/DIF.
10/17 – On this week's Orlando Informer Minute: Universal relaunches its "buy two days get the third day free" promotion, Disney's BoardWalk introduces Trattoria al Forno, nation's second-largest comic book shop to open in Orlando, and more. You can view our latest video and its transcript in the OI Forums, then make sure you don't miss next week's episode by subscribing to our YouTube channel.
10/17 – We visited Universal on Thursday, and you can now view our 150 photos(!) from the trip on our Flickr page (October 16 album), including the latest look at Cabana Bay's Garden Walkway, "Kongstruction" at Islands of Adventure, and the brand-new Christmas store at Universal Studios Florida. King Kong fans, we also uploaded a short video, which you can view in our forums.
10/15 – How much should you budget for merchandise at Diagon Alley? What are some recommendations for off-site hotels? What did you think of the season opener of The Walking Dead? Our vacation planning community is discussing these topics and so much more right now in the OI Forums. Visit the index page to see everything we're chatting about, or view our new content page to see the latest posts. We hope you'll join in – remember, our goal is to make vacation planning nearly as much fun as the trip itself!
10/14 – Starting October 14, 2014 and running through June 7, 2015, U.S. and Canada residents can get a free day of admission when they purchase a 2-day park-to-park ticket for Universal Orlando. This equals about $10 in savings per tickets ($176 versus $186). For full details, check out this topic in the OI Forums. Or, to see more promotions, visit our Universal Snapshot page.
10/13 – Our main site will be down on Tuesday, October 14 from noon to 2:00pm Eastern while our server is upgraded. Please note that this will not affect our forums, which run on a separate server and will be up and running the whole time. We apologize for any inconvenience.
UPDATE: Server upgrade is complete. Thanks for your patience!
10/13 – In case you missed the news over the weekend, Universal has extended HHN hours for several dates in October. The opening time for all dates is still the same – 6:30pm – but the closing time has been moved to 1:00am or 2:00am. You can view the old and new calendar in the OI forums, or view the new calendar and so much more in our Insider's guide to HHN 2014.
10/13 – We visited Universal on Friday, and you can now view our 88 photos from the trip on our Flickr page (October 10 album), including the latest look at CityWalk's newest venue, The Cowfish, rumored to be opening in early November, and "kongstruction" at Islands of Adventure – the King Kong ride is rumored to be opening in summer 2016.
10/11 – Just when we thought we'd had all our advice in place for this year's HHN early admission and touring, Universal made some big changes as of this week that forced us to rewrite our guide. If you've been using our pages to plan your visit, you can read a full explanation of this update in the OI Forums. On the other hand, if you've just discovered us, then you needn't worry about the changes – you can go right ahead to our up-to-date Insider's guide to HHN 2014.
10/11 – On this week's Orlando Informer Minute: Disney tests Toy Story Midway Mania by only allowing guests with FastPass+ reservations to ride, First look at the new Tomorrowland film, Puerto Rico could be the next pavilion at Epcot, and more. You can see our latest video and show notes, then make sure you don't miss next week's episode by subscribing to our YouTube channel.
10/8 – Are you looking for a free packing list for your upcoming Orlando vacation? We've got you covered, and our list includes some of our best kept secrets what to pack when driving or flying to Central Florida, what you'll want for your hotel room, what you'll need for a day at the parks – even our top recommendation for shoes – and some great tips for kids' safety. To check out our list, click here.
10/6 – The start of a new month means that we've added a new month to our crowd calendar: you can now view September 2015. In addition, we want to bring to your attention that Universal has updated its December 2014 hours so both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure are scheduled to be open 8:00am to 11:00pm during the last week of the year. To see it all, visit our FREE 12-month Universal crowd calendar.
Note: if you're curious about whether Islands of Adventure will offer Early Park Admission during Thanksgiving week or the last week of the year, all I can say is that Universal hasn't announced that it will. So for now, just plan on EPA at Universal Studios Florida (for Diagon Alley). Of course, if Universal announces anything new, we'll update our info!
10/6 – Upcoming on-site hotel events: on Friday, October 17, Portofino Bay Hotel invites you under the twinkling lights of the Harbor Piazza for Harbor Nights – La Dolce Vita, a wine and music event designed to capture the ambiance of the Mediterranean. Then on Thursday, October 30, Hard Rock Hotel continues Orlando's only rock 'n roll lobby party with its Halloween-themed "Velvet Sessions" event, including an adult costume contest! To learn about these events and more, visit our Universal Snapshot page.
UPDATE: To see 28 photos from Harbor Nights – La Dolce Vita at Portofino Bay Hotel, visit the hotel's Facebook page by clicking here.
10/6 – Did you have an opportunity to experience Halloween Horror Nights this past weekend? If you did, we'd love to hear what you thought of the event. Visit our HHN 2014 real guest reviews page to share your thoughts and see what other fans are saying.
10/6 – We've uploaded a combo album to Flickr that encompasses two shorter visits to Universal on September 25 and October 3. During both visits, I spent most of my time at Halloween Horror Nights 24, but the best photo in the set was shot at Islands of Adventure. You can see it here, then visit our Flickr album page to view everything else.
10/3 – On this week's Orlando Informer Minute: Disney Weddings' amazing projection cakes, NASCAR Sports Grille closing at Universal CityWalk, Memento Mori gift shop opening at Magic Kingdom, and more. To watch our latest show, click here.
10/2 – As we enter the third weekend of HHN 2014, we've now solidified our touring advice for this year – and there's a big change from previous years. We've always recommended staying at Finnegan's for HHN early admission, but for 2014 we're recommending that guests wait in the holding area at Lucy – A Tribute near the front of Universal Studios Florida. For a full explanation, view our completely updated HHN 2014 early admission guide.
Our free HHN 2014 touring plan has also been totally rewritten based on this new advice and our observations from HHN's first two weekends.
10/2 – On Monday, October 6, Universal Photo Connect will finally complete its August price increase by raising its pre-sale prices. The current pre-sale price for the 3-Day Package is $49.95; it will go up to $59.95. More significantly, the current pre-sale price for the Annual Passholder Package is $49.95; it will go up to $89.95. Needless to say, if you're interested in either package, now is the time to buy. To learn more, visit our Complete guide to Universal Photo Connect.
Tip: we've been told many times by Universal Photo Connect that pre-sale vouchers do not expire – so yes, you can purchase a voucher now even if you're not traveling until next year (and you can purchase the AP Package even if you don't have an annual pass yet).
Universal has increased the prices of its Photo Connect Packages. Most of them have only gone up $10 (so the in-park purchase price of the 3-day package is now $69.95), but the Annual Passholder package has nearly doubled: it's now $99.95, up from $59.95. The good news is that, for a short period, you can still pre-purchase all packages at their older prices – which means Annual Passholders can save $50! To learn more, view this update in the OI Forums.
10/1 – Universal has officially announced that Cinematic Spectacular, USF's nighttime lagoon show, will not run at all during the Halloween Horror Nights season (not even on non-HHN event dates). In other words, the show won't run again until sometime after November 1. It's worth noting that this is a change from previous years when Cinematic Spectacular did run on non-HHN event dates throughout September and October. No word yet on exactly when in November the show will start again. For a list of all attraction closures and much more, visit our Universal Snapshot page.
10/1 – As part of One Direction's appearance live at Universal on November 17, they've launched a sweepstakes for three guests to receive round-trip airfare, on-site accommodations, and access to a taping of special performance by One Direction. To enter the sweepstakes, you'll need to submit an original t-shirt design for the "One Direction in Orlando" appearance by October 6. As usual, this one is open to U.S. residents only. To enter, click here. To learn more about the One Direction event, check out our latest update in the OI Forums.
September 2014
9/29 – Last Saturday evening, Universal posted an announcement on its Facebook Page that NASCAR Sports Grille is scheduled to close November 1. This is not entirely surprising, as it has been rumored for almost a year. What is surprising is that Universal then took down the Facebook post. Nevertheless, Universal's spokesperson Tom Schroder has issued a statement, so the news can be considered official. Its replacement? A relatively quick overlay is expected to produce an NBC Sports-themed venue.
9/29 – Did you know that Annual Passholders can save up to 46% on hotel stays at Universal's on-site properties, with the best offers usually coming in the off-season (read: right now)? For this reason, many families find that it is less expensive to buy an Annual Pass as part of their full vacation budget because it gives them access to AP hotel rates. We explain everything on our AP hotel discount page.
9/27 – On this week's Orlando Informer Minute: Studio Backlot Tour at Disney's Hollywood Studios closes, Universal unveils a new promotion for active and retired military personnel, Busch Gardens launches PhotoKey, and more. To watch our latest show, click here.
9/26 – The terror starts again as Halloween Horror Nights 2014 enters its second weekend (this time running 6:30pm to midnight on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). To view our video coverage from Thursday night, check out our new HHN 2014 playlist on YouTube. Ready to start planning your trip? Know exactly what to expect and how to make the most of your visit by reading through our Insider's guide to HHN 2014.
9/25 – Will you brave enough to visit Halloween Horror Nights during the event's first two weekends? If so, take a moment to share your review with our readers and you could win a $100 Universal Orlando gift card! To learn more about the giveaway or read the HHN 2014 reviews already submitted by fans just like you, click here.
9/24 – A new promotion for active and retired military personnel has been announced by Universal. Today through December 14, qualifying guests may purchase up to six 3-day admission tickets for the price of a 1-day ticket, saving roughly $50 per ticket. An extra discount has also been extended for vacation packages including accommodations at Cabana Bay Beach Resort. To learn more, visit this topic in the OI Forums.
9/22 – Universal has now moved up USF's opening time to 8:00am throughout October (7:00am for Early Park Admission). Readers who have been following these developments will remember that Universal initially did this for USF's opening time in the second half of September, and now they've carried it through to the end of Halloween Horror Nights season. Universal has also changed IOA's closing time for most dates in October. To learn more, visit our FREE 12-month Universal Orlando crowd calendar.
9/21 – The opening weekend of Halloween Horror Nights is over, and we were there for the very rainy first night and much better second night. To view over 200 images from the event, visit our Flickr page. To discuss all aspects of HHN 2014, join us in the OI Forums. Or, to start back at the beginning, visit our insider's guide to the event.
9/19 – On this week's Orlando Informer Minute: Busch Gardens Tampa announces its first-ever Food & Wine Festival, a look at the upcoming holiday celebrations at LEGOLAND Florida and Universal Orlando, HHN launches The Compound, and more. To watch our latest show, click here.
9/19 – This weekend Halloween Horror Nights begins, and we're going to be providing a ton of coverage on our site. Throughout Friday and Saturday evening, be sure to follow us on Twitter for live in-park photo updates from the event. Not sure what you're in for this year? View our Insider's guide to HHN 2014, or check out our newly published spoiler-free, sneak peek blog post reviewing Wednesday's HHN Team Member preview.
9/18 – We are proud to present our Halloween Horror Nights 2014 touring plan, filled with the very best tips and strategies for the shortest amount of waiting during your night of terror. Our HHN touring plan is free, just like all of our handcrafted Universal touring plans, and you definitely want to use it – remember, during the busiest nights, wait times for HHN haunted houses can be as long as three hours!
9/17 – You're likely aware already that USF's Cinematic Spectacular nighttime lagoon show doesn't run on HHN event nights. We've now heard in our forums that the show will actually not run on any dates in October. A call to Guest Services didn't get us confirmation, but Guest Services also didn't assure that it would be running on non-HHN dates – they only said that we'll have to check with the park the day of. The takeaway for vacation planners is, until future notice, don't expect Cinematic Spectacular in October. To learn more about attractions closures, visit our Universal Snapshot page.
9/17 – In case you missed it, the Fall 2014 edition of Universal Orlando's PASSPORT newsletter for Annual Passholders is now available. "Come Face to Face with Evil" declares the title page, and the contents include a full rundown of AP benefits for this year's Halloween Horror Nights. To view the newsletter, click here (PDF file), or you can always find the latest edition at the bottom of our Universal Snapshot page.
9/16 – Starting Tuesday, September 16, Universal Studios Florida moves up its opening time to 8:00am for the rest of the month, which means Early Park Admission moves up to 7:00am. To see all of Universal's park hours, visit our free 12-month Universal crowd calendar.
9/16 – We want to remind Annual Passholders, if you're interested in participating in this year's AP Nights for early access to a three HHN 2014 haunted houses, you need to RSVP. To learn more, click here.
9/15 – New event on the books: on Friday, October 17, Harbor Nights "La Dolce Vita" at Portofino Bay Hotel invites you under the twinkling lights of the Harbor Piazza for a wine and music event designed to capture the ambiance of the Mediterranean. The event will feature select wines, sparkling wines, and gourmet cuisine from the hotel's restaurants. To learn more and see everything that's happening right now across the resort, visit our Universal Snapshot page.
9/13 – On this week's Orlando Informer Minute: Universal announces Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, SeaWorld's Spooktacular brings Halloween fun for kids, Frozen replacing Maelstrom at Epcot, and more. To watch our new show and discuss, click here.
9/12 – We visited Universal on Friday, and you can now view our 203 photos from the trip on our Flickr page (September 12 album), including an entire walkthrough of the Escape from Gringotts queue, new props in the streets for Halloween Horror Nights, and a stop at CityWalk's new Bread Box sandwich shop.
TIP: Twitter has redesigned their timeline page to make it much easier to view photos and their captions. So if you look through our Flickr album and wonder what the heck it is we're taking shots of, view our Twitter timeline for guidance. Remember, you don't have to sign up for Twitter to see everything we post over there.
9/12 – Global pop sensation One Direction will celebrate the release of their new album "FOUR" on NBC's TODAY Show Monday, November 17 with a special performance live from Universal Orlando. Designated viewing will be available throughout CityWalk on a first-come basis and no admission is required (aside from paid parking). To learn more and discuss, visit the this topic in the OI Forums.
9/12 – We're off to Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure for our weekly tour of the parks. Follow us on Twitter to see every single one of our photo updates broadcast live from Universal Orlando Resort (and you can send questions and photo requests to us via Twitter too), or catch a few highlights on our Facebook page. See ya at the parks!
9/9 – Universal has announced its fifth on-site hotel: Loews Sapphire Falls Resort! The new property, featuring a Caribbean theme, 1,000 guest rooms, and substantial convention space, is scheduled to open summer 2016. It is located between Royal Pacific Resort and Cabana Bay Beach Resort. This is a developing story – to learn more and see the initial concept artwork, visit our new section in the OI Forums.
9/8 – We now have the official HHN 2014 map, and our HHN insider's guide has been updated with its details. We've also learned that Kang & Kodos' Twirl 'n Hurl has been removed from this year's lineup of rides open during Halloween Horror Nights (it'll still be open during the day, however). Check out the new map and learn everything else you need to know in our Insider's guide to HHN 2014.
UPDATE: Universal has now published the three houses that will be available during Annual Passholder Nights, and they gave us a peek at this year's exclusive AP pin. To skip right to this info, click here.
9/8 – Did you know that we monitor Universal's ride wait times daily, and we use our knowledge to update our Universal wait times based on crowd levels page? Well, we've updated our numbers again today because, over the last two weeks, the line for Escape from Gringotts has disappeared. It's tough to believe after seeing five- to seven-hour lines this summer. Yet, at 1:00pm on Monday, the wait time was 15 minutes. Crazy.
9/8 – Speaking of Escape from Gringotts, thanks to one of our readers, we've been able to clarify a few details about the attraction's photo op. If you've purchased the Star Card Package, unfortunately you cannot redeem your free prints at Escape from Gringotts. However, you can purchase the security badge separately (instead of having to bundle it with the family photo). If none of this make sense, check out our Complete guide to Universal Photo Connect.
9/8 – On Thursday, September 25, Hard Rock Hotel continues Orlando's hottest lobby party with its "Velvet Sessions" series featuring Bret Michaels. Purchase includes admission at 6:30pm with free specialty drinks, finger foods, warm-up tunes until the show starts, and complimentary valet parking. To learn more and see everything that's happening right now across the resort, visit our Universal Snapshot page.
9/5 – On this week's Orlando Informer Minute: Falcon's Fury officially opens, Six Flags announces new rides based on DC Comics, and more. To watch our new show and discuss, click here.
9/4 – We've just posted our largest Universal crowd calendar update on record, refreshing or adding new information to virtually all 12 months. Highlights of the update include downgraded crowd estimates for September and October, newly published park hours for December, and a refresh of our predictions for Spring Break 2015. You can view and discuss the update in the OI Forums, or skip directly to our free 12-month Universal crowd calendar by clicking here.
9/3 – Universal has completed its rollout of free wifi covering its theme parks and Universal CityWalk, and in addition, earlier this year Loews introduced free in-room wifi for all registered guests. We have now fully updated our Guide to internet access at Universal with all the details, and on the same page, we also present a full introduction to Universal's new mobile app for Android and iOS.
9/2 – This weekend is Rock the Universe 2014 at Universal Studios Florida. The full event guidemap is now available as a download, and we want to let our readers now that the Rock Your Weekend ticket – one of the best values offered at Universal all year long, is still available for purchase. Visit our RTU 2014 guide to learn more, or discuss all of Universal's annual events in the OI Forums.
9/2 – Speaking of special events, we have another one on the books: the autumn edition of Jake's Beer Festival will be held on October 3. Join your friends at Royal Pacific Resort to enjoy samplings from over 50 craft beers, specially prepared culinary creations, and live music. To find out more and discover everything else happening right now at the resort, visit our Universal Snapshot page.
9/1 – Reminder: weekdays in September, Universal Annual Passholders have access to Early Park Admission at Universal Studios Florida for Diagon Alley! Passholders, please note that this is only Monday through Friday, and it's only for Diagon Alley (Hogsmeade and the Hogwarts Express may be open for guests with full EPA benefits). To learn more about Passholder Appreciation Month, check out all the extra benefits being offered in September.
August 2014
8/31 – We headed off to Universal Orlando Saturday afternoon, and you can now view our 164 photos from the visit on our Flickr page (August 30 album), including Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Universal Studios Florida, Leaky Cauldron, and, unfortunately, our attempt to ride Escape from Gringotts.
8/28 – Last night, Universal officially revealed the final house for HHN 2014: Michael Myers' Halloween. The timing is perfect, because we've just pulled the covers off our Complete insider's guide to HHN 2014, including all event details, our famous admission guide, and so much more. We can't wait to help our readers plan the perfect HHN experience – and yes, you need to plan for HHN! To get started right now, click here.
8/26 – Exclusive vacation packages for Universal Orlando's 2015 "A Celebration of Harry Potter" event are on sale, and there is still availability at all four on-site hotels. To help you decide whether purchasing an HP Celebration package is right for you, we've published everything you need to know in the OI Forums.
8/25 – We finally have a definite statement regarding what's happening with Early Park Admission in September. As we originally reported a few weeks ago, starting September 2, only Diagon Alley (USF) will be open for Early Park Admission. Fans following these developments know that, throughout this summer, both Diagon Alley (USF) and Hogsmeade (IOA) have been open. But starting September 2, only Diagon Alley (USF) will be. View the full update in the OI Forums, or start at the beginning with our Complete guide to Early Park Admission.
8/25 – During Halloween season, the Fear Factor Live amphitheater is used for HHN's Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure. Because of this, Fear Factor Live is "closed for seasonal maintenance" throughout August, September, and October, and could remain closed for much of November and December. To learn more and see a complete overview of everything happening right now at the resort, visit our Universal Snapshot page, or you can visit the OI Forums to discuss Bill & Ted's.
8/22 – Our foray into covering theme park news on video continues. Watch the August 22, 2014 edition of the Orlando Informer Minute and share your feedback by clicking here.
8/22 – It's official: weekdays in September, Universal Annual Passholders have access to Early Park Admission at Universal Studios Florida for Diagon Alley! Passholders, please note that this is only Monday through Friday, and it's only for Diagon Alley (Hogsmeade and the Hogwarts Express may be open for guests with full EPA benefits). To learn more, visit our Complete guide to Early Park Admission. Passholders can also check out the other extra benefits being offered in September.
8/21 – Universal has increased the prices of its Photo Connect Packages. Most of them have only gone up $10 (so the in-park purchase price of the 3-day package is now $69.95), but the Annual Passholder package has nearly doubled: it's now $99.95, up from $59.95. The good news is that, for a short period, you can still pre-purchase all packages at their older prices – which means Annual Passholders can save $50! To learn more, view this update in the OI Forums.
More photo news: we've also updated our Complete guide to Universal Photo connect & ride photos with details about Escape from Gringotts.
8/21 – At noon Eastern today, exclusive vacation packages for Universal Orlando's 2015 "A Celebration of Harry Potter" event go on sale – and they'll likely sell out very soon (last year's packages were gone in two days). To help you decide whether purchasing a package is right for you, we've published everything you need to know in the OI Forums.
8/19 – SWEEPSTAKES ALERT: Hop Topic is giving away a 4-day, 3-night Universal Orlando vacation for two guests including airfare, accommodations at Cabana Bay Beach Resort, and Blue Man Group tickets. To enter, you either need to get social with Hot Topic as described here, or view their official rules for an alternative method of entry. Looks like you can enter once per day through September 1, and this one is open to U.S. and Canada residence.
8/18 – We headed off to Universal Orlando bright and early on Monday morning, and you can now view our 164 photos from the visit on our Flickr page (August 18 album), including Diagon Alley, the Hogwarts Express, The Tale of the Three Bothers, and more from Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure!
8/17 – We've had an incredible summer. Over 2,000 of you have joined us in the new OI Forums, generating over 60,000 comments to date! What's more, our site continues record-breaking growth with over 6 million pageviews since May, up 248% over last summer. To say thanks for your tremendous support, we're giving away a $100 Universal gift card. To enter, follow the instructions on this Facebook post by 4:00pm Eastern on Monday. Thanks again for an amazing summer!
UPDATE: Congratulations, Maddison Brooks, your comment was randomly selected and you've won a $100 Universal gift card. To claim your prize, please contact us via the private message function on our Facebook page in the next seven days. Thanks to everyone who participated!
8/15 – Today we're launching an experiment – our very first venture into covering theme park news on video. You can watch our first edition by clicking here, then please share any feedback you have. Enjoy!
8/14 – Mid-month crowd calendar update: Universal has changed its parks hours for almost every day in September. What's more, USF is now scheduled to open at 8:00am throughout the second half of September, a first for the park. In addition, Universal has published its park hours for November. This is a big update – see a full explanation of all the changes and additions on our free 12-month Universal Orlando crowd calendar. Want to price out an off-season visit to Universal? We'll also do that for free.
8/14 – In special event news, Universal has confirmed that the 3-day "A Celebration of Harry Potter" event will return next January. What's more, they're now referring to it as an annual event – learn more in the OI Forums. On page 2, HHN has officially announced its original content for this year, including three houses (Dollhouse of the Damned, Giggles & Gore Inc, and Roanoke – Cannibal Colony) and two scarezones (MASKerade; Unstitched and Bayou of Blood) – learn more.
8/13 – Florida residents: save up to $40 on Blue Man Group tickets for performance dates through September and October. Purchase tickets and more
8/12 – The summer 2014 travel season is almost at an end. Starting August 18, Orange County schools are back in session, which is one of the stronger indications that crowds and lines will go down. We also want to remind you that, starting August 17, Islands of Adventure returns to its regular opening time, so both Universal parks will open at 9:00am (8:00am for Early Park Admission). To learn more, view our free 12-month Universal Orlando crowd calendar.
8/12 – Speaking of shifting times, Universal has thrown one more change at us before both parks return to the same opening time. On August 1, when Universal's offset park hours began, they initially had the Hogwarts Express starting one-way operations from IOA to USF at 7:20am. We've now got multiple confirmations that this is no longer the case, and the Hogwarts Express isn't starting operations until 8:00am. The takeaway is, if you want to go to USF for EPA, go directly there (and you should be there by 7:00am). For a complete explanation, visit our Early Park Admission page.
8/12 – Helping families with special needs is one of the goals of Orlando Informer. Along with our monthly column in our blog – Special needs are Universal – we also have a dedicated page in the OI Universal Center covering the resort's Attraction Assistance & Express Guest Assistance Passes, which we've now fully updated with new tips and Diagon Alley details.
8/12 – Merry Grinchmas! Just today, Universal confirmed the initial dates and details of its 2014 holiday celebrations, including the return of Mannheim Steamroller for six nights in December. You can view the press release in the OI Forums.
8/8 – After taking a few weeks off to update over 25 pages in the OI Universal Center with Diagon Alley vacation planning details, we're back to our regular routine of weekly visits to Universal! You can now view our 156 photos from Thursday evening's visit on our Flickr page (August 7 album), including the Two Foot Dog from Hot Dog Hall of Fame, a look at IOA's Kongstruction and Hogsmeade Station, and more exploration of USF's Diagon Alley.
8/8 – We got an unofficial announcement that, starting September 2, Early Park Admission will only be offered at Universal Studios Florida for Diagon Alley. For those just joining us, now through September 2 guests with Early Park Admission can get into both USF and IOA. This change was expected, as the off-season crowds just aren't big enough to justify opening both parks early. We updated our Early Park Admission guide with this news, and you can discuss it all in the OI Forums.
UPDATE: I just wanted to clarify that, since the beginning of this summer, Universal has only ever "guaranteed" that one park would be open during Early Park Admission. Here's the language: Requires theme park admission. Early Park Admission begins one (1) hour prior to regular scheduled park opening to one (1) Universal Orlando theme park as determined by Universal Orlando. Valid at select attractions at each park. Universal Orlando Resort reserves the right to open alternative attractions in the event that a technical problem arises or an attraction opening is delayed.
To see this yourself, visit this page on UniversalOrlandoVacations.com and click the small, blue Disclaimer link toward the bottom. Keep in mind, everything is subject to change, and this is still unofficial info.
8/7 – Universal has announced the third and fourth official haunted houses of Halloween Horror Nights 2014: Alien vs. Predator and Dracula Untold. You can read all the details in the OI Forums. Are you wondering about our main HHN 2014 guide? We'll get that updated very soon, but right now we're focusing on getting all of our Diagon Alley vacation planning material posted. Thanks for your patience!
8/6 – Speaking of updates, we've completed the initial work of bringing all of our free touring plans up-to-date with Diagon Alley details and all-new routing to avoid crowds. This includes a comprehensive update to our 3-day touring plan for on-site guests and our full-day, Potter-only Wizarding World touring plan. You can view all of them on our Universal Orlando touring plans page. Please note that we will continue to refine our recommendations as always, and you can help us by providing feedback in the OI Forums.
8/6 – The start of a new month means we've added a new month to our crowd calendar: you can now view July 2015. In other calendar news, we've also added our estimated dates for next year's Summer Concert Series, although we're still waiting for confirmation that it will return. For more, you can read our full update and see everything else on our free 12-month Universal Orlando crowd calendar.
8/4 – Have you ever asked (or been asked) whether there's anything for kids to do at Universal Orlando? My friends, there is so much for youngsters at the parks! To help you and your family plan, we've updated our "Visiting with kids" guides for Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure with new Wizarding World details.
July 2014
7/31 – Starting Friday, August 1, Universal's parks hours become offset for about two week: Islands of Adventure will continue to open at 8:00am while Universal Studios Florida will move back to the opening time of 9:00am. This will impact Early Park Admission and Hogwarts Express access for anyone traveling soon. A full explanation is provided on our Early Park Admission page, and if you have questions, we encourage you to post them after the update in the OI Forums.
7/31 – Good news for guests with Power Passes! This summer's blockout dates for Universal Studios Florida were supposed to go through August 14. However, Universal has lifted the blockout starting tomorrow, August 1 – which means you will be able to experience Diagon Alley and the Hogwarts Express 14 days earlier than planned. Learn more and discuss
7/30 – At the end of last week, we let you know that our Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure 1-day touring plan was fully updated to include Diagon Alley. Today, I'm happy to announce that we've done the same with our two separate "ultimate 1-day plans" for Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. Next up, we begin work on our 3-day touring plan for on-site guests – look for that one and a new plan just for the Wizarding World by early next week!
7/30 – With so many souvenir choices available at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, it can be tough to know where to start. In an effort to help you kick off your spending, we've compiled a short list of what we feel are the best items in terms of their novelty, collectability, and value for first-time visitors. These lists can now be found toward the bottom of our updated merchandise guides for Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.
7/28 – We've been working diligently to bring you the best, most complete vacation planning coverage of Diagon Alley and the new chapter of Universal Orlando after the opening of the remarkable land. As part of this work, we have either updated or freshly published 16 critical pages in the OI Universal Center. Scroll down to our July 25 update to see the full list.
We do want to bring your attention to one new page in particular, just published Monday. From Toads in the Hole to Harry Palmers, we present our Ultimate guide to Diagon Alley's food and drinks.
7/28 – Speaking of updates to our site, we have now moved on to the project many have been highly anticipating: the overhaul of our free touring plans. I am pleased to let you know that our first plan – Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure 1-day plan – is now fully updated. As we move through this week, we'll get all our other plans updated, and we'll be publishing a brand-new plan as well, taking you meticulously into the Wizarding Worlds.
7/28 – Are you wondering what happens on Friday, August 1, when Universal Studios Florida changes its opening time back to 9:00am but Islands of Adventure keeps its opening time at 8:00am? How will this affect Early Park Admission and the Hogwarts Express? We've posted the latest update in the OI Forums. To see all of Universal's park hours, visit our free 12-month Universal crowd calendar.
7/28 – On Thursday, July 31, Hard Rock Hotel continues Orlando's hottest lobby party with its "Velvet Sessions" series featuring Lou Gramm, former lead vocalist of Foreigner. Purchase includes admission at 6:30pm with free specialty drinks, finger foods, warm-up tunes until the show starts, and complimentary valet parking. The featured entertainment takes the stage at 8:00pm. To learn more about this event and everything else happening on-site, visit our Universal Snapshot page.
7/25 – We are in the process of overhauling many pages in the OI Universal Center now that Diagon Alley is open and we know more about how Universal is handling crowds and other related factors. In the first round, we've now fully updated these important pages:
- Universal vacation packages – an insider's guide
- Ride wait times based on crowd levels
- Express Passes – complete insider's guide
- Only guaranteed ways to beat the crowds at the Wizarding World
- How to ensure your trip to the Wizarding World is a success
Second round of updated pages:
- Title page to our "Insider's guide to the Wizarding World"
- Early Park Admission to the Wizarding World (this is a must-read!)
- Return tickets & standby line to enter the Wizarding World
- Rental & ride lockers at Universal
- Refillable cups, popcorn buckets & Coke Freestyle
- Shopping & merchandise at Universal Orlando
- Universal Dining Plans – complete guide
Third round – new pages!
- Interactive wands & spell-casting in the Wizarding World
- Shopping & merchandise in Diagon Alley
- Leaky Cauldron: The grandest feast a wizard can have
- Ultimate guide to Diagon Alley's food and drinks
We'll continue plugging away at getting all our pages updated and new information published, and yes, we know we need to get our free touring plans updated too – stay tuned!
7/22 – In Halloween Horror Night news, yesterday evening Universal announced its first official scarezone for this year's event: The Purge. Turning to page 2 news, Universal has implemented a new 2-night minimum requirement for on-site stays in October. Since this is the first HHN to run with Cabana Bay's 1,800 rooms available, this is a bold move indeed. Discuss it all in the OI Forums
7/18 – As we continue to work on updating and refining the Diagon Alley vacation planning information in the OI Universal Center, we're posting day-to-day updates in the OI Forums. Earlier this week, we posted one of our most significant updates concerning Early Park Admission, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, and the overall crowds inside Universal's new land. To read the update, click here. Then, today, we added a small update and posted some of your biggest questions with our answers. These are in the same topic as the previous update, so you can scroll down after clicking the link above or, to jump straight to today's update, click here.
7/17 – Technology updates: First, my computer is fixed! If you don't get what this is about, you can read the backstory here. Second, we've moved the OI Forums to a new server to address some connectivity issues our members were having. If you experience any issues using the forums, let us know by leaving a reply in this topic.
7/16 – Today it was announced that "Orlando Informer – Dan Hatfield" won first place in the USA TODAY 10Best reader poll for Best Theme Park Blogger. On behalf of everyone who contributes to our site and our vacation planning community, thank you for your votes and for this honor! If you'd like to see the top 10 winners, click here.
7/15 – We've got a big crowd calendar update today: For starters, now that Diagon Alley is no longer speculation but is actually open, we've been watching the crowds and the queues, and luckily, they're not as crazy as we were fearing (many possible reasons). So we've adjusted this summer's crowd predictions to reflect what's happening on the ground. In addition, Universal has adjusted its hours in August and published new hours for October. See it all, including a full explanation of this most recent update, on our free 12-month Universal crowd calendar.
7/15 – As often as we can, we like to provide the stories and explanations that take you beyond the decorations at Universal's venues and into the inspiration for their theming. One of the lesser known stories is that of Captain Jake McNally, who is the namesake of Jake's American Bar at Royal Pacific Resort. To learn how his travels inspired one of Universal's on-site hotels, a favorite of many guests, click here to visit our forums.
7/15 – SWEEPSTAKES ALERT: Margaritaville is giving away a 4-day, 3-night Universal Orlando vacation including airfare and accommodations at Cabana Bay Beach Resort. To enter, all you have to do is like their Facebook page and fill out the form – click here. You may enter once per day through July 21. (Sorry international visitors, U.S. residence only.) If you'd like to learn about other sweepstakes for Universal vacations, check out this topic in the OI Forums.
7/14 – Universal has announced the second official haunted house of Halloween Horror Nights 2014: 'From Dusk Till Dawn.' You can read the full press release in the OI Forums. Are you wondering about our main HHN 2014 guide? We'll get that updated soon, but right now we're focusing on getting all of our Diagon Alley vacation planning material posted. Thanks for your patience!
7/12 – The first batch of the new Orlando Informer t-shirts ship next week – get yours for as low as $12.00 including shipping. Learn more
7/9 – We have uploaded all of our media from our stay overnight Monday and Tuesday at Cabana Bay, and our morning and evening visits to Diagon Alley on July 8, its grand opening day. To see our nearly 300 images, check out our Flickr page (there are three albums: July 7 touring and one album each for the morning and evening of July 8). We also have three new videos on our YouTube channel, including a walk-through of Diagon Alley and the dragon fire on grand opening day.
7/9 – Keeping its pledge to open CityWalk's newest quick-service venues by the end of June, guests visiting Universal can now dine at Bread Box and Hot Dog Hall of Fame – and we now have our reviews posted on our blog. Of the eight venues proposed in the 2014 CityWalk expansion, only one has yet to open: The Cowfish. This full-service restaurant is expected to open by the end of August.
7/8 – Just to have the day marked on our Universal Orlando Daily Updates page, today the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley celebrated its grand opening. There wasn't much of a ceremony this morning, as the "real" grand opening ceremony happened during the media preview three weeks ago, but there was some confetti and fireworks – and happy guests. Universal's own video wraps it up best, which you can view here.
7/8 – SWEEPSTAKES ALERT: The folks at Stayful.com are giving away a 3-night, 2-day vacation to Universal Orlando, including car rental, two Potter-themed outfits, a make-up artist, a personal photographer, and more. To enter, click here. (Sorry international visitors, this one is for U.S. residence only.)
7/7 – We have now published dedicated pages in the OI Universal Center for all the experiences inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, including the attractions, shopping areas, and restaurants. What's more, guests lucky enough to have visited Diagon Alley can now share their reviews of the new land's attractions and restaurants. To take a look at all our new material, visit our Diagon Alley title page. If you'd like to start sharing reviews, you can start on the title page or visit our main Real guest reviews page.
7/7 – Covering Diagon Alley's soft opening on Monday, the grand opening on Tuesday, and Early Park Admission starting Wednesday, we tell you everything you need to know and answer all your questions in our new blog post. For the very latest updates, follow us on Twitter, or discuss everything related to Diagon Alley in the OI Forums: the new land or vacation planning.
If you prefer to start back at the beginning, visit our spoiler-free guide to Diagon Alley.
7/5 – Are you considering a visit to Universal on Tuesday, July 8, for the official opening of Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida? We've posted everything you need to know, including our recommendations and advice, here in the OI Forums.
7/5 – The start of a new month means we've added a new month to our crowd calendar: you can now view June 2015. In other news, we're still waiting for October and November hours, which will likely be published soon. Finally, in August of this year, USF is still listed as opening at 9:00am at the beginning of the month. We expect this to change to 8:00am whenever Universal decides to update August's hours. See it all on our free 12-month Universal Orlando crowd calendar.
7/4 – With less than a week before the official opening of Diagon Alley, regular guests on-site (who hadn't purchased the special preview vacation package) finally got their first experience in the new land as the Hogwarts Express opened for technical rehearsals around 3:00pm Tuesday and Diagon Alley itself opened around 3:30pm Thursday. Universal has confirmed that, excluding Escape from Gringotts, all of Diagon Alley will continue to open periodically between now and July 8. For breaking news, follow us on Twitter; for friendly discussion, join us in the OI Forums; or start back at the beginning with our spoiler-free Guide to Diagon Alley.
7/3 – Tonight we made it to the Diagon Alley preview, and you can now view the 85 photos from our visit on our Flickr page (Diagon Alley preview album). Curious about what our first impressions were? Check out this post in the OI Forums.
7/3 – Guest services is confirming that, starting July 9, both parks (and their turnstiles) will be open for Early Park Admission at 7:00am. This will include Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, the Hogwarts Express, and possibly one or two additional attractions like Cat in the Hat and Despicable Me. To the best of our knowledge, all guests with Early Park Admission will have equal access to both parks. No distinction will be made between guests staying at a particular on-site hotel or guests staying off-site as part of a Universal vacation package. Continue reading in the OI Forums.
7/1 – Our 81 photos from yesterday evening's Universal tour are now up on our Flickr page (June 30 photo album). The collection includes a look at CityWalk's about-to-open Hot Dog Hall of Fame and Bread Box, a tour of both parks, and coverage of the #PotterWatch excitement outside of Daigon Alley during the first evening of vacation package access. Remember, if you enjoy our work, we'd sure appreciate your vote here.
7/1 – Are you thinking this right now: "I love your site, but this Diagon Alley opening stuff is so confusing, and I just don't have the time to plan every detail myself. Can you help?" Yes we can. We're honored to work with Jennifer Green of Destinations in Florida. She is the only travel professional endorsed by Orlando Informer, and she can help you plan your trips to Universal, Disney, and more. Best of all, her services are free to you. Seriously. To get in touch, simply complete this form, or you can learn more in the OI Forums.
Everything else
To ensure that this page can load as fast as possible, we have archived updates posted before July 2014. You can use this link to view our previous updates:
UOR Daily Updates: January – June 2014
UOR Daily Updates: Calendar year 2013
UOR Daily Updates: Calendar year 2012


text:
It's that time again. Last year I had to replace the upstream sensor in my car. This year its the downstream… Denso/Oxygen Sensor This product is a fit for your: 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer 2.0L MFI SOHC 4cyl Part Number: 234-4642 Application: Down-stream sensor (located after catalytic converter) I'll probably post a "howto" DIY video [–READ MORE–]
Custom Action Figure Fort 2013
My son wanted a fort/camp/prison playset. Well of course Hasbro doesn't make such a beast so it fell to me! I also didn't want to buy something plastic and expensive. My own requirements on top of my sons was that it had to have multiple uses. I give you the Custom Action Figure Fort 2013 [–READ MORE–]
New starts..
Tonight marks the next phase in mypron.com! We've moved hosts. For the last two and a half years we've been with Wired Tree hosting. For the first year and a half we were very happy with the servers and service. However, after each update to increase space or ram our particular hosted sites would perform [–READ MORE–]
Building a better pony stable…
My daughter asked if she could her a stable for her MyLittle Pony toys and future Breyer pony toys. We looked online and the prices for even a small stable were VERY HIGH! That being the case, I decided to create one myself. From design to final painting (which currently I'm just finishing up details) [–READ MORE–]
Playing the new SimCity (2013)
I have to admit that I'm a bit of an old fashioned grumpy old guy. I love the classics! I literally grew up in the dawn of the personal computer and while I did that, I played a TON of SimCity. So how does this new SimCity from EA fare against say the older ones? [–READ MORE–]

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Snake Arrow Of Life on Halo custom edition a fan game base on Sonic Fan characters.
We're sorry, but no features were found matching the criteria specified. We suggest you try the features list with no filter applied, to browse all available articles.
If you would like to share features with the community, sign up and you can.


text:
- From Steve
- Prayer
- Events
- About
- Resources
- Ways to Help
- Contact
Church of the Saviour Update
On November 18, 2014
Continue Reading →
"One of our best missions conferences ever." Those were the words of retired senior pastor Jerry Durham of the Church of the Saviour in Wooster, [...]
Charlotte World of Outlaws Update
On November 11, 2014
Continue Reading →
Victory Weekend was present at the annual World of Outlaws Dirt Track world finals weekend event in Charlotte on November 7th and 8th. The #79 Show [...]
From Steve – November I
On November 3, 2014
Continue Reading →
November – the month of thanksgiving What are your Thanksgiving traditions? Maybe a little football? Maybe some turkey and all the "fixin's"? [...]
Restoration Fellowship Church Update
On October 28, 2014
Continue Reading →
Steve was the featured guest speaker at Restoration Fellowship Church in Strasburg for their Sunday morning service October 26th. He delivered his [...]
Join Our Mailing ListStay in contact with us and receive regular e-mail updates concerning needs of the ministry, testimonies, and items for prayer.


text:
Sharpened pencils, new bookbags, yellow buses, and promises of impending tests belie the fact that summer is not truly over. According to the calendar, the halfway point of the summer season - August 6 - is fresh in our minds. Keep "summer" alive with your family with a few more trips to the beach, picnics in the park, lots of popsicles, peanuts, and watermelon, and playtime in a backyard sprinkler. Make back-to-school-yet-still-summer memories with your loved ones with the holiday celebrations below or create your own cool, summer festivities.
In addition to our work in Bulloch County, the church of Christ in Statesboro helps support several efforts to preach the gospel of Christ around the world. These include the nations of Cameroon and Nigeria in West Africa, and Lithuania in Eastern Europe. Spreading the message of Christ is difficult wherever it is attempted. But, for varying reasons, the work is especially difficult in these areas, in some cases to the point of being dangerous.
To ride via scooter or not, that is the question. As the price of gasoline continues to exceed $3.50 on a consistent basis, an alternative form of transportation - specifically, the scooter - is catching hold in other parts of the state. The question is, will they become popular here?
Julie and I find ourselves sitting in the Jacksonville airport, waiting to leave for California, and watching people. I see a couple kissing goodbye; he's in uniform and she's wearing a pink sun dress. She's crying and he's sad and trying to look concerned and in control. He's not doing a very good job. Over there by concourse C is a man, well dressed and perhaps in his late 50s checking out the folks who have just arrived and walking his way. He straightens his tie, sucks in his stomach and stares at a much ...
Q: My daughter will be 3 years old soon. Her father was primary caretaker until she was around 20 months of age, then he left and she hasn't seen him since. I expected her to be clingy in the beginning however it is still continuing. She cries and screams when I drop her off anywhere-at the sitter's, church day care, even my sister's house, and she clings to me like I'm going to disappear at any moment. I don't play with her constantly in our free time; however, I do spend time with her.
The morning sunlight falls through the wooden blinds in long white rectangles onto the floor beside us. We sit at a table littered with three or four cardboard boxes of chalk. She would call them pastels, I think. The edges of the boxes are frayed and the pastels are worn down to various lengths, some of them no longer than a match.
David Allan Coe might have thought he wrote the perfect country and western song, but he didn't know Kacie Durden Marks when he sang about trains, Mama, prison and getting drunk.
A little less than six years ago, a Georgia Southern University professor brought before the Statesboro City Council legitimate concerns about clubs/restaurants near the campus giving away alcoholic drinks at no charge, holding alcohol drinking contests and the targeting by the clubs of young women in particular to abuse alcohol.
I receive a lot of press releases via email every day, and the vast majority have nothing to do with our area. However, one came through yesterday morning that caught my eye. It was from the public relations firm representing Bi-Lo.
"Summertime, and the livin' is easy," so goes the old song from Porgy and Bess. When June rolls around, I look forward to warm days and cool nights. By the time July is underway, I yearn for November. What can I say? I am fickle.
Q: Our 32-month-old daughter has always been outgoing and loves to be around people…until recently, that is. All of a sudden she has started lowering her head when we get together with people she doesn't see very often and will refuse to say hi or be friendly. Is it reasonable to expect that she say hello? At what age should we start disciplining this behavior?
As with most things, our local rumor mill goes through cycles. Well, it appears that the doldrums of summer and a couple of lots being cleared have the mill working at an unusually high pace at this time, so I decided to address the rumors that I am hearing most often (FYI, I am saving the grocery store for last).
It was one of those special days at the "Old Course" - as we members like to call Smithfield Golf Club and Spa - simply because it reminds us of St. Andrews, Scotland, the fabled home of golf. Trying to copy the layout of the Scottish course is no easy task: every tee box, fairway and greens are duplicated so perfectly that one needs but to close his eyes and feel an ocean breeze and smell the haggis boiling in some wee kitchen. The rough is not for the faint of heart as it is a combination of gorse, heather, okra and ...
Droughts have personalities. The late-blooming adolescent who appears only after hope is high and the corn is tall and then proceeds to turn the green satin fronds into cardboard tubes. The chronic melancholy who arrives on the train that picks up winter and hangs around so long that, by the Fourth of July, she's just another face in the crowd at the parade. The manic-depressive that explodes the afternoon in a 20-minute three-inch downpour and then slinks away to pout for two weeks without so much as a cool breeze. This drought, the one that presently bears down on ...
Every sincere child of God wants to live faithfully before the Lord. But Satan wants us to fail, and is constantly throwing roadblocks in our path. He is a schemer (2 Corinthians 2:11) and a liar (John 8:44), who wants to lead everyone away from the will of God (Revelation 12:9). Since the Garden of Eden, he's been using the same basic methods to tempt men and women into following him (1 John 2:16). In spite of God's goodness and longing for fellowship with us (Jn14:23), we – his children – often find it difficult ...
It's time once again for me to clarify my position on spanking. I arrived at this reluctant conclusion because twice in the last week, I've been informed that I believe in it - which is not exactly true.
(Note: The following is part of a series of articles looking at the history and evolution of agriculture in Georgia and Bulloch County.)
Again, recent temperatures belie the season, but it truly is the month of November in south Georgia. Whether warm or crisp, it's the season to be thankful for a bountiful harvest: the love of family and friends and all the memories both have provided throughout the year. Incorporate a spirit of thankfulness in every day with each event, feast or fellowship. Be grateful for the minutiae and the mighty, and enjoy the beauty of November with those you love.
I have had a certain amount of interest concerning John Forbes Nash Jr. ever since Julie and I saw the very loosely-based movie on his life, "A Beautiful Mind." I also liked the fact that he was born in Bluefield, West Virginia - only a hop, skip and jump from Huntington - and I could claim a certain amount of kinship. The man was a mathematical genius, a schizophrenic and pretty odd. I do not claim any of what I just wrote as kinship. His basic theory was, "any abstract Riemannian manifold can be isometrically realized as a submanifold of Euclidean space."


text:
HSE Recent Articles
Business Immigration Implications of President Obama's Planned Executive Action
HSE LEGALcurrents
Governor Cuomo Signs Craft Act
HSE LEGALcurrents
Employee Benefits Year-End Checklist 2014
HSE LEGALcurrents
HHS OIG Publishes FY2015 Work Plan
HSE LEGALcurrents
IRS Releases Long-Awaited Final Regulations for Cash Balance, Pension Equity and Other "Hybrid" Defined Benefit Plans
HSE LEGALcurrents
Practice Areas and Industries
HSE is organized into 40 practice areas, with 17 industries served, all with uncompromising standards.
At Harter Secrest & Emery we focus on listening intently to the needs of our clients. Our 130+ attorneys and 40 practice areas have the depth and breadth of legal talent and experience necessary to achieve results for our clients.
Learn more...
HSE earned a national ranking in the area of Corporate Law according to 2014 U.S. News and Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms" national ranking.
News and Press
Craft New York Act Boosts Brewers
Buffalo Law Journal
Clarkson Holl: How some tax-free benefits cost firms
Democrat & Chronicle
HSE Ranks Highest in WNY with 2015 US News Best Lawyers
Harter Secrest & Emery LLP
Harter Secrest & Emery Adds New Counsel - Jack Thomas
Harter Secrest & Emery LLP
HSE Attorneys Named to "Legal Elite of Western New York"
Harter Secrest & Emery LLP


text:
OC3D Reviews ›› GPU & Displays
Asus ENGTX275 896MB PCIe Graphics Card
GPU & Displays | 15th July 2009
The GTX285 is an expensive card and the GTX260 is being left behind in the performance stakes. Do Asus have an answer to this quandry with the ENGTX275?
MSI N285GTX Superpipe 2G PCIe Graphics card
GPU & Displays | 8th July 2009
Could 2GB of GDDR3, a non reference cooler and a pre-overclocked G200 core make the N285GTX the fastest single GPU on the planet? Read all about it in our latest GPU review...
Sapphire 4890 Vapor-X PCIe Graphics Card
GPU & Displays | 2nd June 2009
Can Sapphire's vapor X cooler keep this maniacal overclocker of a card in check or is it just a lot of media hype and hot wind? Find out in our latest GPU review...
OC3D Articles ›› GPU & Displays
AMD 14.9.2 Beta Driver
Mark Campbell | 26th October 2014
This driver enables AMD Radeon GPUs with the Graphics Core Next architecture to take advantage of the ultra-efficient Mantle API support featured in Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth!
NVIDIA showcases Turf Effects
Mark Campbell | 25th October 2014
NVIDIA Turf Effects is a new NVIDIA GameWorks technology that empowers users to simulate and render massive grass simulation with physical interaction.
Nvidia releases their 344.48 WQHL Driver
Mark Campbell | 22nd October 2014
Get the best gaming experience for Lords of the Fallen, Civilization: Beyond Earth, and Elite:Dangerous with Nvidia's Latest GPU driver.
NEC Debuts MultiSync PA322UHD 32-inch 4K Monitor for Videographers
Mark Campbell | 15th October 2014
NEC Display Solutions announced its latest 4K display, the MultiSync PA322UHD, for professionals.
Zotac GTS250 'AMP' 1GB PCIe Graphics card
GPU & Displays | 27th May 2009
Just another rehash of the tried and tested G92? Can a sprinkling of Zotac overclocking and 1GB of GDDR3 make this card a 4850/70 killer? Read our latest review to find out...
Sapphire HD 4770 PCIe Graphics Card
GPU & Displays | 22nd May 2009
Entry level gaming GPU's are often overlooked with the constant battle waged at the high end of the market. Today we take a look at Sapphires interpretation of the new HD4770 GPU...
Asus EAH4770 PCIe Graphics Card
GPU & Displays | 14th May 2009
Can a 15nm shrink on the GPU give the 4770 the technology needed to punch above its weight? How do the 4770's perform in Crossfire? We reveal all in our latest budget GPU review...
HIS HD 4770 512MB PCI-E Graphics Card
GPU & Displays | 9th May 2009
Will the world's first 40nm GPU have what it takes to be a contender or will it be a case of too much too soon?
Zotac GTX285 Infinity Edition PCIe Graphics Card
GPU & Displays | 21st April 2009
Watercooling and overclocking go hand in hand so when we were given the opportunity to try out Zotacs GTX285 Infinty edition, we jumped at the chance. See how we got in in our latest review...
Assassin's Creed dev thinks industry is dropping the 60 fps standard
Mark Campbell | 9th October 2014
After Assassin's Creed Unity was announced to run at 900p at 30FPS on consoles. Now Devs are saying that it gives a more "cinematic" feel. Come on Ubisoft, really?
AMD cuts prices of Radeon R9 290, 290X cards in the US
Mark Campbell | 7th October 2014
AMD has cut prices of its Radeon R9 290 and R9 290X GPUs. The R9 290 has dropped from $399 to $299, which is $100 off. The R9 290X has dropped a larger amount from $549 to $399.
Crytek Says It's Getting harder to Wow People With Graphics
Mark Campbell | 4th October 2014
Crytek Says It's Getting Increasingly Difficult to Wow People With Graphics and that GPUs are still a long way from 60FPS 4K gaming.
Mark Campbell | 2nd October 2014
Over the last few months Rebellion added support for AMD's Mantle API to their Asura engine used in Sniper Elite 3 Game and Rebellion's future titles.
AMD Catalyst 14.9 for Windows
Mark Campbell | 30th September 2014
The latest version of the AMD Catalyst Software Suite, AMD Catalyst 14.9 is now available.
AIO Liquid cooled GTX 980 Spotted
Mark Campbell | 29th September 2014
Pictures have appeared on the net of an ASETEK AIO watercooled GTX 980. Even more interesting is that this looks like an Nvidia Reference Design


text:
Select () or exclude () categories to narrow your recipe search.
As you select categories, the number of matching recipes will update.
Find exactly what you're looking for with the web's most powerful recipe filtering tool.
1/1 Photo of Lemon Syrup Cake
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
20 mins
40 mins
This cake is light, lemony and ultra moist - and you can whip it up in no time. Absolute heaven!
Units: US | Metric
Serving Size: 1 (130 g)
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Every recipe, menu, tip and how-to is right here, at your service.


text:
Chicago, ILUSA
June 30, 2010
No introduction yet
About us…
Group for active traders in Chicago. Meetup to discuss trading systems and strategies. Day traders, swing traders and long term investors welcome. Also covers multiple markets: stocks, futures, options and forex.
Portal for active traders and investors.
1,138 Entrepreneurs
2,991 Runners
4,168 Explorers
3,719 Members
366 Traders
1,524 Members
Meetup members, Log in
By clicking "Sign up" or "Sign up using Facebook", you confirm that you accept our Terms of Service & Privacy Policy


text:
Kurdish Geneva Participants Announced - The Syrian Observer
Kurdish Geneva Participants Announced
Thu 19 Dec 2013
By KDP Website (Kurdish opposition website)
KNC confirms talks with PYD are ongoing but have not yet reached an agreement
Kurdish National Council (KNC) member Kawa Azizi has revealed in an exclusive statement that the KNC met Tuesday to assign the participants in the Geneva II conference, scheduled for January.
Azizi said the delegation consists of Hamid Haj Darwish, KNC President, Abdulbasset Sida, Ibrahim Bro, Mustafa Selio and Kamiran Haji.
The statement confirmed talks with PYD were ongoing but had not yet reached an agreement. The statement added that any party not willing to overcome differences was working against the interests of Kurdish people.
Translated and edited by the Syrian Observer
Most Read
Why is FSA Dying in the North and Expanding in the South?
Rebels Kill Senior Intelligence Commander in Eastern Homs
U.S. Official Tells Syrian Opposition: No Military Intervention Against Assad
Regime Closes Last Crossing to Ghouta
Russia Suggests Transitional Government Including Khatib, Jamil
Syrian Regime Exploits the Wives of Dead Officers
Regime Forces Arrest Louay Hussein Hours After Assad Agrees to Consider De Mistura's Proposal


text:
The Leading eBooks Store Online
for Kindle Fire, Apple, Android, Nook, Kobo, PC, Mac, BlackBerry ...
The Changi Camera
Not for sale in
your country
your country
(If any tax is payable it will be calculated and shown at checkout.)
Preview (read now) Add to my own site Add to my wishlist Author's page Publisher's page
Ebook isn't available in your country
This ebook is available in the following countries:
- Australia
In THE CHANGI CAMERA, acclaimed author Tim Bowden presents a unique record of one Australian soldier's experience of the fall of Singapore, captivity in Changi, and enduring the hell of the Thai-Burma Railway. George Aspinall was a keen photographer and, even in the very worst of conditions, he managed to take photos, process them, and so preserve for later generations the reality of incarceration. Along with George's own memories of those years, Tim Bowden has written a gripping and authoritative overview of what happened in Changi and on the Railway. This powerful narrative and unique collection of almost one hundred photographs combine to give us a raw and graphic account of just what George and thousands of his fellow Australians endured.
Hachette Australia; October 2012
256 pages; ISBN 9780733629532
Read online, or download in secure EPUB
Title: The Changi Camera
Author: Tim Bowden
256 pages; ISBN 9780733629532
Read online, or download in secure EPUB
Title: The Changi Camera
Author: Tim Bowden
Buy, download and read The Changi Camera (eBook) by Tim Bowden today!
More History
Killing Patton 2014 US$ 12.99 304 pages
History for the IB Diploma: Causes, Practices and Effects of Wars 2011 US$ 26.00 241 pages
Unbroken 2010 US$ 11.99
Rise of ISIS 2014 US$ 9.46 128 pages
Subject categories


text:
Select () or exclude () categories to narrow your recipe search.
As you select categories, the number of matching recipes will update.
Find exactly what you're looking for with the web's most powerful recipe filtering tool.
1/3 Photos of Chicken and Rice Casserole
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
30 mins
55 mins
Everyone needs a good chicken and rice recipe, and this is a tasty one.
Units: US | Metric
Serving Size: 1 (245 g)
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Every recipe, menu, tip and how-to is right here, at your service.


text:
Peace at the Pub - War. What is it good for?
photos by Diana Daniels
Cleveland Peace Action
and CPA Education Fund
Peace House
10916 Magnolia Drive
Cleveland, OH 44106
News & Opinion
Israel-PalestineNov 26, 2014
Israeli activists call for peace talks, women's participation - El Arabiya ...Read More
Nuclear WeaponsNov 26, 2014
South Pacific islands prepare to sue French government for $1 Billion over nuclear tests - The Independent ...Read More
IranNov 11, 2014
Incoming Senate Leaders Aim to Assure Israel that Deal Won't Be Made - antiwar.com ...Read More
Environment and ViolenceNov 10, 2014
32 Countries Where Global Warming Could Make Violence Worse - Mother Jones ...Read More
Armed Forces-VeteransNov 1, 2014
Pentagon Sanitizes Vietnam War History - Global Research ...Read More
War on Terror/Civil Liberties/DronesOct 28, 2014
Fellow Nobel Peace Laureates to Obama: Stain of US Torture Your Job to Repair - Common Dreams ...Read More
Military SpendingOct 21, 2014
Time to reduce economic dependence on Pentagon spending - William Hartung & Miriam Pemberton, Congress Blog ...Read More
Iraq-Islamic State-SyriaOct 13, 2014
Even if we defeat the Islamic State, we'll still lose the bigger war - Andrew J. Bacevich, Washington Post ...Read More
Russia-UkraineSep 7, 2014
Sidestepping Ukraine's 'N-Word' for Nazi - Consortiumnews.com ...Read More
Foreign PolicySep 3, 2014
The American Cult of Bombing - History News Network ...Read More
Afghanistan / PakistanJul 31, 2014
Afghanistan to cost more than Marshall Plan, watchdog says - Stars and Stripes ...Read More
AmericasJun 9, 2014
U.S. Government Ties El Salvador Aid Package to Monsanto's GMO Seed - GreenMedInfo ...Read More
AsiaJan 14, 2014
Open Fire and Open Markets: The Asia-Pacific Pivot and Trans-Pacific Partnership - Foreign Policy in Focus ...Read More


text:
BBC iPlayer
10,000,000 - 50,000,000 downloads
- Search through the entire BBC catalog of the last 30 days
- Cast content to your TV via Chromecast
- Live stream or download to watch later
- TV and radio content
- Only available within the Uk
- Downloading only available on Android OS Ice Cream Sandwich and above
+ By Media Applications Technologies for the BBC
"BBC easy as 1-2-3"
Reviewed by Jayne Deacon / Nov 06, 2014
Catch up on your favorite BBC TV and radio shows and live stream through the app
Missed last Friday's episode of Eastenders ? Maybe you want to relive the excitement of the Great British Bake Off final all over again. The brilliant BBC iPlayer app lets you live stream programs and catch up on your favorite shows from the last 30 days.
Whether you're on a Wi-Fi or cellular network, you can swipe through the featured and favorite programs (TV and radio, local and national), browse by channel or category and filter by day and time. You can either stream past programs directly, or download them to watch later (downloading takes place in the background of your other apps). You can also cast all content to your TV using Chromecast.
Sadly, as a Brit abroad, I can only indulge in BBC iPlayer when I am back home- the app is only available from within the UK. And furthermore, you should be aware that when live streaming TV broadcasts, you therefore confirming that you have bought and paid for your TV license.
- Watch live TV
- Watch over Wi-Fi and cellular networks
- Download TV programmes to watch later (on devices running Android OS Ice Cream Sandwich and above)
We're aware of some problems with Downloads in the BBC iPlayer app when you upgrade to the new Android Lollipop operating system.
If you upgrade to Lollipop, you may find you can't access your downloads in the BBC iPlayer app. We're working to fix the problem, and when we've done so you should be able to access your available downloads again. So please be sure to accept any app updates.
In the meantime, we recommend you watch anything you've downloaded by streaming it, just to be on the safe side.
We're sorry for any inconvenience this causes.
We know some Android KitKat users are having issues playing downloaded programmes. We're treating these issues very seriously and have raised them with Google who, so far, haven't been able to provide a fix. We're continuing to work with Google on this and hope the issues will be fixed soon.
For more info on these issues visit http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk/tv/mobile/android_4.3.3_downloads
- Scroll through and find Featured and Most Popular programmes
- Browse through Category and Channel pages
- Cast content to your TV using Chromecast
We have developed the BBC Media Player app to improve video streaming playback on Android devices. You will need to install this separately from the Google Play marketplace.
To make installation of the BBC Media Player as easy as possible, BBC iPlayer will prompt you to install it when you first play a streamed programme.
The BBC iPlayer app uses standard Android app permissions that are defined by the Google Android platform. The permissions the BBC iPlayer Android app asks to use are:
Read phone status and identity – allows us to securely link downloads to your device, so they cannot be copied to another.
Modify or delete the contents of your USB storage – allows the app to save images, metadata and downloads.
Full network access- allows the app to access the internet.
View network connections - Allows the app to access details about network connectivity i.e. whether the device is on Wi-Fi or 3G/4G.
Prevent phone from sleeping – enables downloads to be performed in the background.
Test access to protected storage – allows the app to check if there is space on your device to download programmes.
What's new in Version 4.4?
- New Audio Described category makes BBC iPlayer more accessible than ever.
- Most Popular has expanded to show 40 programmes, giving a greater selection of well-loved shows.
- A ban on buffering! Programmes now automatically play at the best video quality for your connection.
- Various other minor bugs have been exterminated (humanely, of course).
As ever, send any feedback to @bbciplayer on Twitter or facebook.com/bbciplayer
As previously mentionned, the app is slow and sluggish and downloads stutter after 15-30 minutes. This has been on going now for the best of a year with no sign of a fix.
Since the latest update, which hails a ban on buffering, streaming is severely affected by serious lags, with playback either stopping completely for seconds on end or the video freezing whilst the audio carries on, until after some time the video resumes and catches up. Result is that streaming is basically impossible. This never used to be such a big problem when buffering was still enabled. Wha
Downloads won't work.
On Android 5 Lollipop the picture freezes and the sound is lousy or non-existent.
Overall I rate the service pretty good although the picture quality isn't the best and it gets especially blocky during transitions and animations. Please make some adjustments for five stars.
Its pants
Programs stutter after 30 mins and is very slow on android. Works ok on iPhone so must be a compatiblity issue.. Needs sorting


text:
Thursday 5am-12am PST Sat-Sun 5am-10pm PSTLive Chat
Thursday 5am-12am PST Sat-Sun 5am-10pm PST
until Black Friday. Shop Early Deals Now! Free Shipping @ Any Price
Viscose Burgundy Small (under 5 Ft ) Area Rugs
Current Filters
Material: Viscose
Rug Color: Burgundy
Size: Small (under 5 Ft )
Refine your Results
rug color
rug shape
rug technique
More Sizes Available
Width: 24 - 96inWrite a Review
Square Footage: 6 - 88sq. ft.
$94.80 to $1,324.80
Save up to 28%
In Stock
More Sizes Available
Width: 24 - 96inWrite a Review
Pile Height: 0.32in
$132.60 to $1,927.20
Save up to 24%
Out of Stock
Ads by Google
Your Recently Viewed Items
You have no recently viewed items. After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to products you are interested in.
Your Recommended Items
You currently have no recommended items. Browse a few more items to give us an idea of what you like.
©1999 - 2014 ATGStores.com.Copyright notice | Site Map | By using this site you agree to our Terms & Conditions of Use and Privacy Statement
Server: EASTWEB135 Created On: 11/26/2014 11:00:29 PM


text:
Quiz: Is Peeta or Gale More Your Type?
50 Bridal Shower Theme Ideas
14 Thanksgiving Tips For Ladies From Vintage Ads
The Dark and Dirty History of Sleeping Beauty
40 Love Quotes From Your Favorite Holiday Films
13 Successful First Novels by Female Writers
This Is Why Luke Bryan Is Country's Sexiest Man
Scoot Your Boots to These 6 Country Playlists
The Cure For Benedict Cumberbatch's Engagement News
Which Country Singer Is Your Boyfriend?
Death With Dignity Advocate Brittany Maynard Has Ended Her Life
Married Life Explained in 10 Photos
Daniel Radcliffe Has a Feminist Comeback to Being Called a Sex Symbol
Put a Spell on Someone With 31 Halloween Love Songs
You Have to See This Mean Girls/Hocus Pocus Mashup
Disney Princes and Princesses Dress in Pop Culture Costumes
18 Sexy, Spooky, and Silly Halloween Date Ideas
50 Last-Minute Couples Costumes That Require Little to No Effort
12 Bomb Dot Com Halloween Costumes For Couples
100+ Halloween Costume Ideas Inspired by the '90s
50+ Adorable Disney Couples Costumes
Ghouls Gone Wild! 50+ Creative Girlfriend Group Costumes
12 Signs You're a Cat Lady and Purrfectly Happy With It


text:
Man brought back from Poland to face charges in fatal 2004 crash
BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN Criminal Courts Reporter August 22, 2014 3:33PM
Andrzej Rybka is charged with reckless homicide and leaving the scene of a 2004 accident in which two people died. | Provided
Updated: August 22, 2014 4:06PM
Hiding from authorities in Poland, Andrzej Rybka allegedly bragged he had "gotten away" with killing two people in a drunken driving crash on the Southwest Side.
But after a decade on the lam, the Hickory Hills man stood before a Cook County judge Friday, facing allegations he had fled the scene after his BMW split in two, claiming the lives of Jozef Maryniarczyk and Anna Jaronczyk, both 18.
Just two days after the Oct. 10, 2004 wreck, Rybka flew to Switzerland from New York's JFK Airport, then traveled to Poland, where he married and had children, authorities said.
Law enforcement officials issued a warrant for Rybka's arrest in 2004 and tried to extradite him, but Polish authorities didn't approve the request until earlier this year, Assistant State's Attorney Robert Mack said.
Rybka, 31, was flown into Chicago against his will on Thursday before he was charged with reckless homicide and leaving the scene of a deadly accident, Mack said.
On the day of crash, Rybka attended a picnic where he allegedly drank vodka and beer before heading to a friend's house.
When Rybka left the friend's house, he got into his luxury car, Mack said.
Maryniarczyk and Jaronczyk sat in the back seat and another person sat in the front, Mack said.
Within minutes Rybka raced through the streets, going through two red lights before he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a light pole, causing the car to split in half, in the 6000 block of South Archer Avenue, Mack said.
The front seat passenger suffered minor injuries.
But Maryniarczyk and Jaronczyk were ejected from the BMW.
Maryniarczyk suffered severe skull fractures, according to his autopsy. Jaronczyk suffered multiple factures and severe trauma.
Instead of tending to his passengers, the injured Rybka ran away to his friend's house and told others that he had been in an accident and that "someone may have died," Mack said.
The friends went to the crime scene and saw the remnants of the car but when they went back to the house, Rybka was gone, Mack said.
Rybka, who has a 2002 battery conviction, was also previously arrested for leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage but it was unclear whether he was convicted, Mack said.
Assistant Public Defender Marijane Placek noted that the crash was not intentional but "an accident."
She also told Judge Peggy Chiampas that Rybka was a productive citizen while in Poland, working and supporting his family.
"He did build a life for himself but his victims weren't afforded that right," the judge said.
She ordered Rybka held without bail, and told him to surrender his passport.


text:
CAC RKF-SQ6 White 6 oz. China Square Fluted Ramekin 36/Case
- To save more: Mix and Match
- Quantity Discounts!
|Buy 1 - 2
Other Available Sizes:
These CAC RKF-SQ6 white 6 oz. China square fluted ramekins offer a contemporary spin on the traditional round ramekin to give your table setting a unique style that will help set your restaurant apart from the rest! Your butter, salsa, and dressing will never look better than when they are served in these fashionable fluted ramekins.
These 6 oz. fluted ramekins measure 3 3/8" square and 2" deep. Sold 36 per case.
Because this item is not stocked in our warehouse, processing and transit times will vary. If you need your items by a certain date,
please note this in the comment section while checking out! Please feel free to log on to our Live Chat should you have any questions
before placing your order. After your order is placed, we will update you via email to let you know how this will be shipping to you.
Other Products from this Line
Related Items
Butter Curler
American Metalcraft FBC93 Black Wrought Iron Wire Fry Basket with 3 Ramekin Holders
Metal Food Baskets
8 Categories
Queen Anne Flatware 18/0
11 Products
Customers Also Viewed
Have you used this product?
Log in to write your own review and earn up to $16.00 with video, photo, and text reviews!Login or Register


text:
Coroner: Motorcyclist dies after weekend crash
Updated On: May 27 2013 08:04:39 AM EDT
A man involved in a motorcycle crash Saturday night died at a hospital on Sunday, according to the Spartanburg County Coroner's Office.
Coroner Rusty Clevenger said Bryan Lamar McGee, 58, of Greer, died just before 4 p.m. at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.
The single-vehicle wreck happened Saturday just before 9 p.m. in the 700 block of Sloan Road in Greer, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
Troopers said McGee was heading south on Sloan Road on his 1993 Harley Davidson, when he ran off left side of the road, lost control and was thrown from the bike onto the road.
McGee was not wearing a helmet, according to Clevenger.
Further tests are pending, and the accident remains under investigation, Clevenger said.
Copyright 2013 by WYFF All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Dispatchers: Deck collapses; multiple injuries
SCDNR: Clemson DUI attorney arrested on boating while intoxicated charge
Victims identified in deadly double shooting
Coroner: Child walking home from church dies after being hit by car
Deputies: Upstate man wanted for multiple sex crimes arrested in Georgia


text:
ODT Online
ODT /directory
One motorcyclist has died this afternoon after a crash
involving a van and another motorcyclist on State Highway 6
between Queenstown and Kingston
No charges will be laid against a Wanaka taxi driver who ran
over a Dutch tourist more than two months ago, police
announced yesterday.
Action has been taken against 15 Queenstown businesses - most
in the food and beverage sector - found to be in breach of
employment and immigration laws.
Communications infrastructure company Chorus appears to be
making steady progress in the roll-out of ultra-fast
broadband (UFB) in the Wakatipu area.
Water meters could be trialled for a year in the Queenstown
Lakes district, beginning next April, under a council staff
Police have decided not to lay charges over the death of a
Dutch snowboarder who was struck by a taxi in Wanaka in
Fifteen Queenstown employers have been found breaching
employment standards.
Wanaka is set to lose its police senior sergeant position and
also a rural community constable job in a restructuring of
the Otago rural policing area.
Proudly supporting your town Queenstown
Login or Register
to add your business to the ODT/directory. Quick link to
more roadtests
& reviews
cars for sale
Submit your news & photos - Login or
Opinion? Have your say - Login or Register
Submit your
event or notice
Add a photo
Bookmark ODT
Make ODT my
Otago Daily Times print and digital edition, The
Star - Dunedin, The News - Central Otago, The
Ensign - Gore, Southland Express -
Invercargill, The Courier - Timaru, Queenstown Times - Queenstown, Mountain Scene -
Queenstown, Extra! schools
publication, Property
Times South Canterbury