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One Of My Favorite Universal Orlando Attractions Has Been Incomplete For Months, And I'm So Happy It's Finally Whole Again

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We are so back.

Universal Orlando Resort Globe
(Image credit: Dirk Libbey)

It’s always a bummer when I visit a theme park and a favorite attraction, or one I’ve been looking forward to experiencing for the first time, is closed for refurbishment. I still remember the frustration as a kid of not getting to ride Star Tours on my first trip to Disneyland because it was closed. However, there might be something that’s even worse, which is experiencing an attraction that is missing something important.

Getting to go on a ride in “B-mode,” when parts of an attraction that are not vital to operation are not functioning, is just annoying as hell. You end up in a weird in-between place where you get to have the experience, but still don’t get the full experience. At Universal Studios Florida, one of my favorite attractions, CineSational: Symphonic Spectacular, has been running in its own version of B-mode for months, as the drones have been missing from the show, but as of last night, CineSational is sensational once again.

Universal Senior Director Michael Aiello posted the final moments of last night's CineSational show with the words “We’re Back” as drones formed the Universal Pictures logo. Last night’s show was the first time drones have been part of CineSational since December. An accident at a non-Universal drone show in Florida seemingly gave the resort pause on using drones themselves, but it appears everything is back to normal.

CineSational - A Symphonic Spectacular concept art

(Image credit: Universal Orlando Resort)

I honestly feel bad for anybody who saw CineSational any time between the end of December 2024 and earlier this week. CineSational is a fantastic nighttime show that combines music, water effects, fireworks, projection mapping, and drones, and without any one of those elements, the show is simply not the same.

Drones have become a popular addition to nighttime shows at several theme parks. Walt Disney World ran a brief drone show at Downtown Disney last year, but it is no longer running, making Universal's the only one of its kind.

It’s the way those elements come together that makes CineSational truly special. I’m still wowed by the way the show recreates Back to the Future by using a projection-mapped image of the clock tower, a collection of drones that take the shape of the bolt of lightning, and then have the clock tower explode with fireworks. That sequence just isn’t as magical without the drones.

There are probably a lot more people visiting Universal Orlando Resort right now compared to last summer, thanks to the opening of Epic Universe. I’m glad the crowds arriving will get the full CineSational experience. Even with all the rides at Epic Universe, CineSational is still one of the top attractions at the entire resort, but only when you get to experience all of it.

Dirk Libbey
Dirk Libbey
Content Producer/Theme Park Beat

CinemaBlend’s resident theme park junkie and amateur Disney historian, Dirk began writing for CinemaBlend as a freelancer in 2015 before joining the site full-time in 2018. He has previously held positions as a Staff Writer and Games Editor, but has more recently transformed his true passion into his job as the head of the site's Theme Park section. He has previously done freelance work for various gaming and technology sites. Prior to starting his second career as a writer he worked for 12 years in sales for various companies within the consumer electronics industry. He has a degree in political science from the University of California, Davis.  Is an armchair Imagineer, Epcot Stan, Future Club 33 Member.

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