SeaWorld Orlando has launched the second installment of Expedition Odyssey, a flying theater attraction that glides above the Arctic Circle.
Round 2 ended strangely quickly for an attraction. The ride opened in May 2025, but renovations began about 11 months later. Along with the changes, an expanded name has been added: Expedition Odyssey: Fire & Ice.
SeaWorld advertises it as “all new,” but that’s an exaggeration because the mechanics haven’t changed. However, the procession begins very differently.
The OG Expedition Odyssey was equipped with a very boxy storage area that was very gray and decorated with large animal pictures. EO 2.0 deconstructs the up and down line of desks and monitors, a kind of research field. There’s a big screen up high displaying data and fiery images, and the animal photos have also been upgraded.
The additional props are more industrial and create a behind-the-scenes feel. There is so much to see that you wonder if there are Easter eggs hidden in there. (Hmm, the “JP” on the timetable might indeed be the same as Park Director John Peterson, right?)
Riders are divided into groups of 15 and taken to a small room for a themed safety play that introduces AERIS (Arctic Environmental Research and Integrated Science) and a fictional vehicle called the EO-X4 quadcopter.
Each set of riders is guided to adjacent seats on a long bench with seat belts. This device pivots into the darkness. This is part of the storyline before you take off in your quadcopter. There was a dramatic pause that made my fellow riders say, “What is this?!” At this point, I saw the passenger’s legs dangling, and I thought, “Is this what they’re supposed to do?” Feeling.
Short answer: Yes. I then watched a YouTube video that showed additional screen time from the loading area safety guide and explained the process to people, but I didn’t actually watch it.
The movie begins and passengers are faced with a giant domed screen. The action begins at a snowy basecamp (ice) and progresses through other scenes featuring lava (fire). The scenes are mostly shot from above, at points higher than an airplane. Other means of transportation such as boats and dog sleds are also shown to help you appreciate the size.
The Fire & Ice version includes a new film that takes you past volcanoes, tundra, icebergs, waterfalls, and into the Northern Lights before returning to base.
There’s also a virtual dive into an ice hole, and every time we board the Expedition Odyssey, passengers scream in terror as we sink underwater. I guess that’s why it’s so effective, but don’t be intimidated, because this attraction is designed for families. (Ride height requirement is 39 inches.)
I’ve seen some online criticism for abrupt cuts between scenes (Epcot’s Soarin’ Across America has received similar heat), and some wish the visuals were stitched together as a “real” experience. Considering the variety of scenes, this feels like a big ask for a movie that’s about seven minutes long.
Best of all, Expedition Odyssey: Fire & Ice passes the exit test. Halls filled with summaries of exciting experiences lead to real-life contact with walruses, beluga whales and penguins.
Exhibition of blockbusters
Movie buffs will find plenty of interest and attention at the Spielberg Summer Blockbusters exhibit currently on display at Universal Studios Florida Theme Park. Located in the Hollywood section of the park, this space is surrounded by movie props and memorabilia and displays fun facts about director Steven Spielberg. It starts with “Jaws,” which causes pedestrian traffic jams, and moves on to “ET: The Extra-Terrestrial,” which features an alien mechanical arm. (You can’t touch it with your fingers because it’s behind the glass.)
it continued Due to the promotion of “Jurassic World” related works and Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day” which will be released in theaters in 2019. June 12th.
Elsewhere in the park, there are more “Jaws” experiences focused on walk-in photo ops, one of which appears to be a recreation of the Jaws ride that closed in 2012. Also fun are a bunch of re-imagined Jaws movie posters (psychedelic, Hello Kitty-esque style, for example).
news and notes
• The “Deser’s First Love” exhibit has been added to the Orlando Automotive Museum, an attraction at Deser’s Park on International Drive. Here’s a look at several of the 1949 Plymouth models that started owner Michael Dezer’s passion for car collecting. More information: orlandoautomuseum.com
• A kind reminder: President George W. Bush’s oil painting exhibit of veterans, “Portraits of Courage,” will no longer be on display at Epcot. The art will be on display at Walt Disney World for two years and will remain at the America Adventure attraction through July 4th weekend. More information: disneyworld.com/epcot
• Gaylord Palms Resort is offering multiple Super Hero Summer experiences featuring DC characters. These include a Riddler’s Revenge scavenger hunt, a Battle for Justice light show on the atrium ceiling, and Hall of Justice character dining. More information: gaylordpalms.com
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