Founding Editor and Publisher of the AU review. Currently based in Toronto, Canada. You can follow him on Twitter @larry_heath or on Instagram @larryheath.
In our ongoing first ride series, we update you on the latest rides and attractions at theme parks around the world. Today we take you to Universal Studios Hollywood, and their updated, limited time only, 60th Anniversary Studio Tour experience. The iconic Hollywood film studio has been offering backstage experiences since 1915. But it would…
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The “World’s Fair” – known outside the United States as “World Expositions” or just “Expo” – used to be a big deal. A real big deal. It would attract tens of millions of visitors to a city over a number of months (generally three to six – but sometimes over multiple years), featuring dozens of…
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With clear views of the sunset over the horizon of Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, it’s hard to argue there’s any bad place to watch the sun set here. But on my recent visit to the iconic tourist destination, I may have found the best way to watch it – Holokai Catamaran Company’s nightly Sunset Sail….
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In December 2021, after more than 20 years of the “FastPass” system (which this feature length documentary will tell you all about so I don’t have to), Disneyland scraped their relatively groundbreaking – if imperfect – queue cutting system, in favour of “Genie+”. The system was to take advantage of new digital technologies and allow…
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This past Friday (26th April), under the theme of “Celebrating Friendship and Beyond”, Disneyland kicked off Pixar Fest 2024 – six years after the first took over Disney’s two California parks. The event comes almost three months to the day that the park unveiled the brand new Pixar Place Hotel, and less than three months…
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Honolulu’s Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort (which I reviewed earlier this year) has recently undergone a more than US$80 million renovation. It’s seen the iconic resort (with its origins dating back to the 1950s) reimagined with updated rooms, facilities and the addition of the much lauded Monkeypod Kitchen restaurant – now the fourth location in the…
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As long as I can remember I’ve wanted to stay at the Disneyland Hotel. I was lucky enough to frequent the park as a kid, but never got to stay in the iconic hotel that expanded on the experience of visiting on the park. That was until earlier this year. So what is it like…
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After an incredible 18 year run exclusively at The Mirage in Las Vegas, the Cirque Du Soleil production of The Beatles’ Love is coming to an end. So if you’ve never had a chance to see this show – which as I go on to say in the below article from 2017, is possibly the…
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Just weeks after their successful Australia and New Zealand tour, Queens of the Stone Age are currently touring Canada, playing a mix of capital and regional cities around the country with UK group The Struts. In Ontario, The End Is Nero tour is hitting four shows around the Province, with the first in Oshawa –…
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A couple of months back, I climbed to 42,000 feet across the Pacific Ocean on board United Airlines‘ Boeing 777-300 service from Melbourne to San Francisco (Flight UA61). It had been about a year since I last few across the Pacific with United (then from Sydney to Houston on the Dreamliner), so how did this…
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If you’re travelling through San Francisco Airport in California anytime soon and have at least a few hours in a stopover, chances are you’ll have enough time to head to the nearby In-N-Out Burger. Which, in my humble opinion, remains the best burger under $5 in the world. So how can you fit it in?…
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Back in mid-December, the newest luxury hotel to hit the Las Vegas Strip finally enjoyed its grand opening – Fontainebleau Las Vegas. I had a chance to stay at the resort at the start of February, and got a taste of the hotel, rooms and the food and drink that’s on offer. So with 18…
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April 2024 Update: Epic Universe have unveiled a deep dive look into How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk. Read on! The most anticipated new Theme Park in the US is without question Universal Studio’s upcoming third gate in Orlando*, Epic Universe. While plenty of rumours have been floating around since the park was…
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With dozens of attractions across two parks – the OG Disneyland Park and California Adventure – not to mention the wealth of dining and immersive experiences to be had, there’s good reason to book in at least a few days at the Disneyland resort in Anaheim, California. Just take a look at some of the…
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As a frequent traveller, and co-host of the podcast Jetlag (you can listen to both seasons HERE), I’m often asked how to best avoid the dreaded repercussions of international travel. As part of an ongoing series on the AU review, I’m going to be sharing my tips and tricks to do just that. If you’re…
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If you’ve ever been to Pickathon Festival, located at Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley just outside of Portland, Oregon, you’ll know just how special a festival it is. And after finally getting confirmation the much lauded event (including by me) would be returning to Pendarvis Farm, the festival has announced its 1-4 August 2024 lineup….
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From the faux Venice canals at the The Venetian, to the awe-inspiring fountain show at the Bellagio and a sky covered by LEDs on Fremont Street, Las Vegas has long immersed its audiences. These immersive experiences run from the streets right into the bars, from sitting under a replica of the Eiffel Tower, as at…
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Island hopper flights are often the best way to get around tropical paradises. It’s how I travelled around Hawaii with Hawaiian Air in recent years. In the Caribbean country of Belize, Tropic Air are one of two airlines (the other being Maya Island Air) to provide regular service between the main destinations of the country…
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After five years of hype and construction, no less than 54,000 m2 of LED on its exterior, and space for some 20,000 punters, the ambitious venue known simply as Sphere opened in Las Vegas last September, immediately becoming one of the world’s most recognisable structures. As the largest spherical building in the world, enjoying an…
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In December last year, as Hawaiian versions of classic Christmas songs echoed across the busy streets of the tropical paradise, I spent two nights at the recently renovated Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort. The US$80 million renovation has seen the iconic resort (with its origins dating back to the 1950s) reimagined with updated rooms, facilities…
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Are you heading to the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California anytime soon? We just returned from a visit to the iconic park, and are happy to report a number of new experiences to enjoy across both the OG Disneyland Park, and the accompanying second gate, California Adventure. There’s even a brand new Pixar-themed hotel! Here’s…
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With the state-of-the-art Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas playing host to this weekend’s Super Bowl (for American Football fans) and next month’s NRL Telstra Premiership season kick off match (for Australian Football fans), “Sin City” is fast becoming America’s newest “Sports City”. But long has it been a destination for foodies, with restaurateurs from all…
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Los Angeles is a difficult city to navigate without a car, but it’s something those on a budget need to manage one way or another. Arriving at LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) is the first step in that navigation. How do you get out of there as quickly as humanly possible? Before LAX-it and Uber/Lyft…
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If you’re ever looking for an affordable way to travel between North America and Australia, Jetstar are the only budget carrier that takes Australian passengers directly to the USA. The airline travels a few times a week between Melbourne, VIC or Sydney, NSW and Honolulu, offering an affordable alternative to its competition, as well as being the…
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We’re back for the 15th annual list of the 40 best albums of the year, as compiled by the team at the AU review, bringing in music from Australia and around the world. It’s a packed list, with many artists making their debut on our countdown. Read on, and click on the album covers to…
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Last night, one of the UK’s biggest rock outfits, Royal Blood, returned to Sydney for their first shows since 2018. In the time between visits, the duo have released two new albums, both of which hit #1 on the UK charts – so it’s fair to say that fans have been eagerly anticipating their return….
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If you’re lucky enough to live in a city or a country with a bustling rail network, chances are you’ve rarely thought of train travel as little more than a modern convenience (and certainly preferable to a bus). But the history of rail travel – both from a commercial and commuter level – is one…
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Where do I sit? It’s often a question that plagues the average traveller, especially when flying in economy. Should I get the window? Aisle? Should I go on the side or in the middle? Should I spend the extra money on choosing a seat (as is often the way, especially with a budget airlines)? The…
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There’s no shortage of incredible hotels on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu – and many claim to have the best views of the iconic stretch. But does the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa take the cake? Last December, I spent a night at the hotel to find out for myself – not only discovering the…
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By now, most theme park enthusiasts will likely have stumbled across the US YouTube series Defunctland, created and hosted by Kevin Perjurer. The series looks primarily at the lifespan of now defunct rides at theme parks around the world – with an emphasis on North America. Though it also has produced standalone specials on TV…
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