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Here are some photos of AlpenFury I captured today while at the park. It isn't quite complete yet, but very close! AlpenFury looks to be a great coaster once it does open!

I figured I might as well share the pictures and videos from my trip before other parts of the park are closed and they becomes less applicable haha. Presented without commentary: VID_20250510_135432010.mp4 VID_20250510_174646873.mp4

Yes, it's a crap situation. Not knowing what their contracts said, though, this is perfectly legal for Disney to do. That being said, Unions are a great way to ensure stable employment, especially in the entertainment industry. Ask me how I know (20+ years of doing this stuff as a technician and an IATSE member). THAT being said, Unions aren't perfect and Actors Equity most certainly plays favorites on what contracts they give a crap about. AFAIK, Disney works with AEA and non-union for performers and their contracts demand only a certain percentage of performers be AEA members. Really what this boils down to is, if you ain't in the club, you ain't gettin' respect. I feel for the performers, but after decades of navigating this business I can only sit back and think about how this is a wonderful learning opportunity for those involved.

Disney has shared some brand-new artwork of the Rivers of America replacement, now called Piston Peak National Park! https://disneyparksblog.com/wdw/piston-peak-national-park-builds-on-the-story-of-frontierland/ Cars from around the country are fueling up to be the wildest racer in the “wheelderness.” Of course, we know that fans are curious to see how the exciting new backdrop for the big rally race will fit into the waters, landscapes, and storytelling at Magic Kingdom.  Today, we are excited to share that Piston Peak National Park will continue the sweeping storytelling tradition that has crossed Liberty Square and Frontierland since opening day.   Westward Ho! Crossing into New Frontiers at Magic Kingdom Since the early days of Magic Kingdom, adventurous guests have traveled across space and time as they pass from Liberty Square to Frontierland. Starting with architectural influences from upstate New York and colonial America in Liberty Square, before traveling to a bear-y fun concert in the North Woods, a stop by New Orleans at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and ending in the Arizona bluffs at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.   At the heart of all these stories are heroic characters with a belief in themselves that helped forge a path to their dreams. To continue this journey in great American storytelling, Piston Peak National Park will be part of the largest expansion in the history of Magic Kingdom. Welcome to Piston Peak National Park Imagine an awe-inspiring wilderness filled with towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers and impressive geysers. While fictional, Piston Peak is inspired by the Rocky Mountain area and the history and iconic sights of the American Frontier and its national parks.   Inside Piston Peak, guests will be able to see and explore the visitor lodge, Ranger HQ, trails and more all set within the Disney and Pixar “Cars” universe. To make sure these buildings fit naturally within the surrounding majestic landscapes, Imagineers are using a style of architecture called “Parkitecture,” which was developed by the National Park Service to create structures that harmonize with the natural environment.    From the outside, trees will provide a natural barrier between the off-road rally and other parts of Frontierland and Liberty Square. Rugged mountains with dramatic peaks will be nestled along a calming waterway across from Grizzly Hall and soaring geysers from the famed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will stretch into the trails of our off-road rally. 

Trust the experts.

That's some pretty forceful sarcasm that you didn't pick up on.

I can tell from those track pieces that the coaster is forceless and shaky.

My latest visit to The Park (the 25th) was met with a lovely cool-ish sunny day. And the crowd was HUGE! Lines on the 'thrill rides' easily an hour or more. I decided to just do a walk around, and get a couple of rides on the "less thrill" (?) rides. It ended up being the Carousel and the Gladiator, that I rode. Somewhat bad news, was finding out that the One Dollar Refills (both popcorn and beverage) were not being offered this season. <sad> Hopefully, they may change their mind, and reinstate it. Got the whole summer to find out, lol. What the new printed pass looks like. On the way to the main gate. Looks like everybody's inside, now. Running, running. This was around 2 pm at the Coaster lineup. I was told there were $1 Pop Refills here. But still. No popcorn refills. This is on top of the operator's booth at the Sea-To-Sky Swinger. Great theming! Play Quarters games still closed. Wonder if they'll ever re-open this part of the Arcade again? Rest of the Arcade open. But not Crossbow. Hmmm. Is it considered a "too dangerous" game? Who knows? Ready for a launch. Up.... And over! Bug Whirld. Action shot. And don't forget to "Spread Your Wings." This is how you spread your wings. <g> Skybender in action. My first ride of this visit. Have to remember, not to put camera in front of face. I'll get it right, eventually. My only other ride this visit: Gladiator. Great fast and high cycle. But it coming down to a stop ... took - for - ever. Wheee! Meanwhile ... Big lineup for this one, too. The Beast in unload-reload position. Eventually, on a future visit, I will get food and drink here. Great burgers, fries and shakes..... See? Told ya. And that was it, for this visit to Playland.

with a goat.

Silver Dollar City looked great last weekend during our short Branson trip to celebrate my daughter's fifth birthday. At the park, we started off with Fire In the Hole. The ride feels like modernized a copy of the old ride, which I consider a good thing. It was received with, "I'm never ever riding that ride again until I die." wtf ok I rode Outlaw Run by myself. It still kicks ass as my favorite RMC. It's borderline getting rough, but not to the level of real discomfort. I also grabbed a ride on Wild Fire near the end of the day, because it was walk-on. I'm always surprised by the airtime on the first drop. It's very smooth for its age. The observation deck was great for the family. When given the choice between "log flume" or "the bumpy kid's coaster" in exchange for a neurotoxin Dip-N-Dots reward, the "bumpy kids coaster" surprisingly won out. Earlier in the day it had the random walk-by rating of "That Holiday World roller coaster is TRASH!" (where does she get this from?) All in all, the Grand Exposition Coaster was much more suited for my daughter now than it was when she was three. At that time it received the rating of "I'm never ever ever riding that ride again." I think she actually had fun, which made me optimistic for the future. It's hard to tell. The Marvel Cave tour was a nice challenge for the kid. Caves make me uncomfortable. In my opinion, the tour guide took way too long incorporating the cave's history with story telling. We weren't the only ones in the crowd who looked bored with the five minute explanation of the original explorers throwing rocks into the deeper part of the cave that led to a bat shit filled pit. Like legit, dude went over the "He threw a rock and heard no response" reenactment about five times. I have a feeling the drawn out stories were to give the growingly restless crowd a break from the 600, but I don't remember the guides taking that long. I wish the extended story lengths would have instead just contained additional history, since the younger kids didn't seem to give a shit about the dramatization, anyway. Thankfully, the tram back to the top worked, because the lady gasping for air and breathing on my neck behind me was about to die. The train was great. The experience near the back half was a lot different with the Fire In the Hole area added. The robbery show was good. I feel like it got longer. Again, at one point I was wondering when it was going to wrap up, but the actors took extra time to interact with every row, which was worth it for all the kids. Staff did a great job of filling the train to make sure almost everyone in line got on. Flooded Mine is a great ride for kids. A lot of the effects weren't working, but the scoring was spot on and it's still a lot of fun. The gun accuracy is better than most considering this ride is old school. There were three animals out in the petting zoo. lol We originally made the mistake of getting in line for the BBQ place near the raft ride. (As I have gotten older, I really don't give two shits about most ride names anymore if you can't tell.) We got out of line when it seriously didn't move for the five minutes we were in it. I didn't understand the mistake of trying to grab lunch during prime time until I had a kid. Avoiding excessive hunger is a big part of preventing a meltdown, so the urgency of getting lunch increases. The quick-serve food stand pretzel nearby was decent and they had a fruit cup, which was nice. We later made it to the BBQ place when it had almost no line. The pulled turkey was ok, and the slaw was surprisingly not loaded with sugar. The pulled pork my wife had didn't taste like typical wanna-be barbeque crockpot meat. It's nice to have a healthy(er) choices for meat and vegetables. I'm not going to elaborate further on the kid and family rides we went on. Our experiences on all of them were great. The park was clean and the staff was friendly. I love how shaded the park is. It's a nice place to take it slow and enjoy the atmosphere. Does anyone know what they're building near the north side of the park? There was a lot of land clearing. It may be just the deconstruction of Fire In the Hole version 1. As far as Branson in general, we did the Runaway Mountain Coaster a few times. Two of the three times I went at a slower pace with my daughter and let her tell me when to slow down and speed up. If your kid is still afraid of roller coasters, this is a nice way to break them in at the pace you choose. I went by myself on one of the rides. There are a lot of small double down airtime hops in the layout and it cooks through the helix sections. Some of the areas seem to jut out at least fifty feet or so from the hill, with the optics of overlooking the valley making it seem much higher than that. For those interested in hiking, there's a nice waterfall hike nearby. Hiking is my daughter's jam, and this one doesn't have a lot of steep climbs. It's good for young kids. It takes a couple 2-3 hours if you stop to explore. If you go without kids, you can probably knock it out in a little over an hour. We chose to stay at a one room suite with a pullout, kitchenette, and porch at Hyatt's Timber Ridge. If you're looking for a well maintained property, I recommend it. There are activities at night for families. The resort has an indoor/outdoor pool that was unfortunately unavailable due to storm damage repair. The fitness center is really nice, but I chose to go the grueling route of steep elevation changing laps around the property, which was well worth it for being scenic and quiet in the early morning. Constants in Branson/SDC are that the gyms and running trails are rarely occupied... (Honorable mention to Holiday World area.) If you're in the area, I HIGHLY recommend Mr. Gilbertis pizza across the dam in Hollister. The cast iron Chicago style pizza seriously rivals Lou Malnati's. Cheers.

I would argue Six Flags Fiesta Texas has this one beat, but at this point, I don't even think you can consider it a true Six Flags park. It's like the unusually smart child in the family, which was secretly made on a business trip instead of at home.

Day 11 (pt 2) full day at Flamingo Land, continued: after the disappointment of the Haunt ride, we decided to head back towards the front of the park, where the main restaurants were. it was mid afternoon, and hadn't eaten yet, and we had seen posts in the group chat that the food in the pub was decent. the decor in here certainly was "eclectic" and the food was "typical bar food". .but that's fine, because it actually was all pretty good. the mozzarella sticks : and my Ham & Swiss with loaded nacho fries. we had a couple of hours left before time to meet the bus, so took the opportunity of being near the front gate, to check out the gift shop. capybaras !! then checking out the time, decided to venture way over to the other side of the park for the zoo portion. lazy afternoon for the lion pride. lovely Giraffe enclosure, surrounded by what looked like tracks for a SBNO train. perhaps it only operates on certain days? too bad, as it would have given some great views. This park most certainly can use a train or a monorail. . as it's a TON of walking, due to it being so big. monkeys, and free roaming peacocks. .that were everywhere! hmm. that's one way to ensure the big cats don't hide from visitors during the day - chain a big chunk of meat to the central enclosure. tho the Red Panda didn't seem to need any coaxing to be out. so cute! what's this???? ah. there's a "zoo area only" monorail.. and if I had found it a bit earlier, absolutely would have ridden it. but the station was difficult to find, and I was worried I wouldn't have time to check out the rest of the park. Nice to know at least one of the "sit and enjoy the view" rides (as I call them) was working today tho. thru the elephant enclosure, you can see just how far away from the SLC coaster we are - and there's still a whole nother "land" behind me. speaking of that other land. . . getting to it, and more free range Peacocks it looks like this at one point was a main entrance to the zoo? perhaps it's now the resort entrance? very small kiddie carousel here. . at least they had one, even if it's a tiny one. (but no, didn't try to ride it) and a few other assorted kiddie rides. that's why I'm guessing this park started out as a zoo.. but they slowly added thrill rides, and expanded out to the left. mini-ponies! and a whole "Peter Rabbit" section, that included a maze, and obstacle course, a gift shop / library (closed today) and a castle. and back behind the castle - hidden with NO signs, and not on any map I could find - was a classic carousel. i know it wasn't on the maps, because I tried to tell Stacy I had found a carousel, so she could come ride it with Myself and Nick. . but she wasn't able to find it, and kept getting directed to the kiddie carousel. called "the Gallopers". . . I was so happy to see this, and of course immediately hopped in line to ride it. I *believe* I ended up on Twister. . but can't really recall. still. . . Carousels are my happy place. and Nick seems to be enjoying it too. we looped back around the far side of the zoo to head back to the main gate / bus. as you can see, the sky cleared and it ended up being a beautiful day. more roaming Peacock I believe a buzzard sleepy meerkats antelope hiding in the tall grass a meerkat keeping watch while others dig for bugs and happy piggies in mud a photo op? why yes, please that's one way to make use of a dead branch that must be cut. . . carve into an owl. we got back to the front gate as the pirate show was going on. not sure what a pirate show has to do with Flamingo Land. . but I guess it explains the Pirate Ship stage. and there was a ton of kiddie / crowd involvement - those kids at the very front, expected to be chosen to participate. and the cast stuck around afterwards for photos .. . so of course! arrrrrghhhhhh!!! and this guy seems to be the mascot of the park. yeah.. I don't really understand it either. . why a Parrot for FLAMINGOLand? but hey, was cool to meet a mascot. and with that, we all headed to the bus and made our way towards the last hotel for the trip. on the group thread, either Andy or perhaps Brad shared these pics they had taken in the zoo portion. thought they were great enough to share. . .especially this first one. later that night, in the hotel, Stacy had a dilemna. she had gotten her bottle of Iron Maiden wine. . but how to get it home? no liquid allowed in that qty on the plane. well, the answer was to drink it of course, so she headed to me room and we drank like Troopers. and with that, it was time to go to bed. one final park before the trip was done. .and it was another surprise one.

last Day in Munich: at the fair for a final time. all packed up, shower and a quick nap taken, several of us met up in the lobby and headed back over to the Oktoberfest Faire for the final night (for us, the fair still ran I think for 2 more weekends?). a brewery we passed by every time we walked to the fair: as it was a weeknight, not as packed as we'd seen it. . but still the fairgrounds were pretty hopping. this is what they use for medical emergencies (or alcoholic emergencies: ie: pass-outs). they are to permit privacy, but these big, blue, coffins wheeling thru the crowds drew attention to them, I thought. this was my goal for tonight. . to get some pics from the ferris wheel at the back of the fair. so we headed that way. still pretty busy for a Tuesday night, I thought. we ended up sharing with a family who also wanted to take pics, so we took turns sitting in the end seat to grab pics as we cycled so colorful from above! a look down into the "older" section that had the separate entry. Loved that part of the Fairgrounds. and the beerhalls lining down one side of the main walkway Olympia Looping from the Ferris Wheel the ferris wheel off my list, there really was only one more thing I wanted to check out (and thanks to Erik for recommending it!) - one of the oldest rides at Oktoberfest! the Suspended Carousel. it was celebrating it's 100 years at the festival, and not only had a live band playing while it operated, but some daredevil operators, who jumped up onto the carriages as they swung around to take your ticket. it was amazing! the inner workings of the ride Erik even got on to ride it again with me. hidden way back on the complex, it wasn't packed tonight, but we weren't the only ones riding it. the live band - crammed into that little booth - that played while the ride was going. some signage celebrating the 100 years it' had been at the fair. I was actually starting a get a bit of munchies (having not really eaten today other than sharing that pizza).. so we started looking for a place to try that we hadn't had yet. LOL. .the sign ALMOST got me.. but I had flashbacks to those balls from night one.. and passed. Tho we stopped for a pic. no takes for the flume tonight. .even tho it was not raining I'm SURE this is 100% Disney approved, right? but since we were over here, and it was our last night? absolutely got some rides on Olympia Looping. this pic gives a good shot of the restraints. I don't care for them because as the coaster hits the loops, the pressure forces the shoulder harness down more and more..and you feel crushed by ride end. Fantastic coaster tho, and was able to knock it off my bucket list. luckily just out front of it was a place serving these wonderful things. Kinda like a Gyro, but on fry bread with more veggies inside. comes flat, but one folds it to eat like a taco. it was quite good. and met some folks who thought my jacket was as cool as their jackets, so they wanted to take a picture together. uh oh.. more of those "body boxes" things. . . stuff I hadn't seen in the prior 4 days, now suddenly a few times in one evening? and whom did we stumble upon? (and in a fantastic mood)? Jonathan, once again wearing his lederhosen. he joined us and we decided to check out Dr. Archibald - basically a ghost train, but with the gimmick that each rider gets VR goggles, and for the most part, all are watching different stories. honestly? I wasn't impressed at all with the VR. But the 'ghost train' aspects of it were fun (as was the exit funhouse), and it had some of the best lighting on the fairgrounds (purely to draw in customers - as once you had the VR on anyways, you couldn't see it. the ticket to get in. we're ready to be a-scared !! Jonathan really, REALLY wanted to try the toboggan again - as he was insisting that he had done well the night before. I worried he was wasting his $$, and that he was too far "gone" to have a chance, but he woudl not take no for an answer, so we all observed (and filmed for him at his insistence) as he gave it a go. whoopsie! but he made it to the top.. then kinda disappeared. he took his time coming down.. but eventually spotted him on the slide. where he sat giggling.. until staffers - who did NOT think it was funny - came and "helped him" out. but hey, it made fora *classic* short film clip HYWX4608.MOV after that fun, Jonahan wanted to go even deeper inoo the fair as possilby prior noted: Even tho it doesn't do anything TOO nuts. . but still, I think, it' possibly my favorite coaster at the fair. note: these pics were taken on the final brake run into the station - WITH PERMISSION from he ride operator. never pull out a phone for pics on a coaster, unless you get an ok from the folks who operate the ride! some "artsy" pics i have on my batch. . .and I think they are probably Andy's pics that he shared. finally managed to get the natural lame on Voodoo Jumper. and one final look back before we head out to go back to the hotel. Long day tomorrow with drive to Europa Parc it had been a fantastic visit to Oktoerfest, and still a few days to go on this trip. for now tho? off to rest. . .

Hard to believe even now, but the last day of my Oktoberfest adventure with Theme Park Review had arrived. It was bittersweet to say the least. Another full day of fun planned at the incredible Phantasialand, but the end of that day would bring the end of the trip. I snuck out the bathroom window one more time to admire the view of Rookburgh during the daytime... The walk down from the hotel to the land through the property's exclusive park entrance is both convenient and immersive. The group was up bright and early to take in the steam and get our head start on lining up for the remaining attractions we hadn't ridden during the prior day. Crazy Bats (previously Temple of the Night Hawk and before that, Space Center) was a surprisingly long indoor coaster that now features VR headsets. Even nicer, the VR experience is included in your park admission and all riders get a headset to wear. The coaster has three light hills and lasts nearly four minutes, which gives the VR experience (themed to three bats in a frozen castle) plenty of time to take you through their story. I would've never expected it, but this ended up being the best VR experience I had across the entire trip! I was very excited to get the chance to explore the Deep in Africa: Adventure Trail, which had only opened a few years earlier. By once again squeezing another experience in and around others park elements, Phantasialand maximizes the space the park uses, while making the big attractions (like Black Mamba) feel even more deeply interwoven into the land. If you know where to look, the adventure trail offers some great vantage points of Black Mamba. Up close and personal. The Deep in Africa: Adventure Trail is also a great way to get soaked if you don't pay attention to where you're going and how you're trying to get there. Case in point. I got drenched. We had some sweet treats, like this trio of eclairs, along the course of the day. The Hotel Ling Bao towers over the Chinatown section of the park. And there are great options for food inside! Today was the day where we had planned to tackle at least one water ride... Ponchos engaged. I fell out of my seat on Mystery Quest trying to keep my shoes dry but it was worth it. This was quite a fun rapids ride. I was fairly confident I'd be leaving Phantasialand without having a chance to ride my much-anticipated Chiapas... But as luck would have it, with three hours left in the operating day, boats started to cycle for testing. About an hour later we were seated for our journey downriver... This is such a fun log flume! And the airtime hill is a great touch! We got wet, but I wouldn't say soaked. But it was great fun and a highlight of the visit! An acceptable amount of wetness! I went back to the room to change before our exclusive ride time and couldn't help but to take in more of the view. Just incredible. It is nearly impossible to articulate just how much this coaster weaves in and out of the other elements of the realm. Just incredible. And so ridiculously smooth. One of my favorite parts of F.L.Y. is how the second launch sends riders directly between two sides of cabins belong to the Hotel Charles Lindburgh. Pics or my visit didn't happen. I'm kind of a fan of this place... Kind of. One of my favorite photos I managed to grab of F.L.Y., not because it is the highest quality, but because this angle does a good job of showing just how much coaster (and other stuff) that is packed into a small section of the land. Overbanked turns on this kind of coaster are a joy. Dessert waffles for a snack. It was time for our final ERT of the trip... F.L.Y. elevates the flying coaster experience with its unique loading system, over-the-top-theming and its incredibly immersive environment. It was one of my favorite experiences of the trip and one of my favorite coasters I've ever been on (if only for the total package of it all). And it was an amazing final ride with which to round out the trip. One more dinner at Bar 1919... If you ever get the chance to visit, do yourself a favor and get the sliders... Trust me. Dessert was great too! The next morning we flew from Cologne to Munich... From Munich it was time for final farewells as we all flew in our own homeward directions... Naturally I had to choose Madame Web for my flight home. Many of us were anxious about getting home because flights back in the Southeast were being cancelled as airports announced their closure due to an impending hurricane. There was a very real chance I could have been spending a few days in Toronto. Fortunately enough, mine was the last flight to Orlando from Toronto to not be cancelled... I gave my thanks to the Saint of Good Travel, Tim Hortons... I had my first Western-ish meal in over two weeks before it was time to board the plane home. Much rainier skies were in my future but the last sixteen days would make it all worth it. It's taken some time to prepare and post all of these updates, but in recollecting the experiences I shared with so many friends on this trip, I'm eternally grateful to Robb, Elissa and so many others who made this trip what it was. I experienced several bucket list moments and went to places I was fairly confident I'd never have the chance to visit in my lifetime. I ate (and drank) well throughout and visited some of the best parks I've ever been to. It was an incredible trip and I cannot wait for the next chance to travel with TPR... It will surely be another incredible adventure!

This blows. I'm visiting next week and I'm missing Siren's Curse by that much and now TT2 looks like it'll be down, as well. Ah, well, at least maybe crowds will be lighter and I can ride Gemini all day.

I did take what will likely be my last Rockit ride on Tuesday night and, in fitting fashion, it was a certified shitshow! They were only running 3 trains and for some reason the trains kept setting up on the last 3 brake runs even without a train in the station. We got stuck on the 2nd to last brake run for a minute or two and could see a train on the brakes in front of us. Also my last ride was in row 4 which is the worst row on the ride because it's rough as shit and for some reason the crotch molds seem to protrude backwards more in this row than the others and yeah...such a fitting last ride. I'll kind of miss it and wondering why there's so many songs about rainbows, but I can't wait to see how good the replacement coaster is bound to be. Rest in pieces! I also had back-to-back lemon rides on Spiderman which was interesting. The first time through we got to the gravity ray section and then the effects and sound stop and the car kept stopping and then slowly meandering to each scene. Most of them were either quiet or no sound at all and the car awkwardly listed to the left, and then the car started playing sounds from 4 scenes prior and...yeah. The ride ops told us to go through the child swap line and ride again. The second time around it made it all the way to the final drop scene but then it did it again. I've ridden this thing a ton and it's usually flawless so it's interesting to get a couple technical difficulty rides. Lastly, one of my fears everytime I ride Velocicoaster on a showery day is that it'll be sunny when I walk in and then after 20 minutes of being cut-off from the outside world things will drastically change by the time I get on the ride. This time around I got on the ride and it was fine, but I started feeling a few sprinkles going up the top hat. When we hit the brake run the skies opened up and because they were running all 4 trains we had the pleasure of sitting on the brake run for a good two minutes with no escaping the deluge. And naturally the firehouse shut off just as the brakes released and we rolled into the station.

Disney has unveiled new details about expansions at the Disneyland Resort, including Coco and Avatar at Disney California Adventure and a brand-new arrival experience! https://disneyparksblog.com/dlr/future-expansion-plans-for-disneyland-resort/ All-New Parking Structure and Transportation Hub Coming to Resort Area Plans are underway for a new parking structure and transportation hub that will be built on the east side of Disneyland Resort, on a portion of what is currently the Manchester cast member parking lot. This new area will provide approximately 6,000 parking spaces, shuttle and rideshare areas, security screening and dedicated access for traffic off of Disney Way, improving parking and traffic flow throughout the resort area. As you can see from the artist concept rendering above, this new parking and transportation hub will also feature a pedestrian bridge over Harbor Boulevard, leading to an all-new esplanade arrival experience. This pedestrian bridge will also provide convenient public access to and from Harbor Boulevard. These enhanced parking, transit, and arrival offerings are the first step in our next phase of construction, creating the infrastructure necessary to prepare for future growth and to welcome more guests as new experiences are added – including two all-new attractions that will double the size of Avengers Campus, plus the new “Coco”-themed ride and Avatar destination coming to Disney California Adventure park. The multi-year construction of this new arrival experience is slated to begin in fall of 2026. Updates on the Location for the “Coco” Attraction As we continue to add new experiences to Disney California Adventure, we’re excited to share that the upcoming attraction themed to Pixar Animation Studios’ “Coco” will be built near Paradise Gardens Park and Pixar Pier, in areas that are predominantly backstage today. Construction on this attraction is set to begin backstage this fall! Avatar Experience Location Details Additionally, we’re looking forward to transforming a portion of the current Hollywood Backlot area into our Avatar destination in Disney California Adventure. This project is still in the early stages of development, and additional details will be shared later, including construction timeframes. To make way for this new experience, Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! will close in early 2026.

It's a bit interesting that in general Cedar Fair has been a fair bit less ambitious when it comes to dark rides. The Boo Blasters rides were all installed by Paramount, and outside of those there really aren't many dark rides at legacy Cedar Fair parks at all. Six Flags has had way more, with several parks having two or more dark rides. I do wonder what the future of dark rides is in the merged company.

Wanted to post some thoughts from my 2nd trip to Epic and first since the park officially opened. For future reference, today was a Monday and the general consensus amongst regular park-goers is that today was on the busier side for Epic. Despite staying on property at Aventura I decided not to get up early for early entry and I'm glad I made that decision. Apparently the security line was a mile long before they opened and then they didn't bother checking for hotel reservations to get into the lands so everyone was able to get in. Therefore lines in Nintendo immediately went over 75 minutes and Ministry was over 3 hours within 15 minutes of opening. I would've been pretty pissed if I got up before 7 to experience that. We ended up hopping on the bus right at 10:30 and in the park around 10:50. After getting shut out on Ministry last trip, that was my #1 goal today. Stopped at the French cafe thing on the way in for a crepe for breakfast which was pretty good, nothing spectacular. Hopped into line for Ministry right at 11:50 which was posting a 150 minute wait. We were sent into the outdoor section but only for 5-10 minutes before making our way to the Floo network. The queue is jaw dropping, there's no other way to put it. Our wait ended up being about 1:45-1:50 and I don't think there were any breakdowns. If you're trying to judge times, I would say once you're through the Floo network it's going to take you 1.5-2 hours. And then add to that with any of the queue outside being used. The ride itself is absolutely one of the best dark rides I've ever ridden, a nice blend of technology and storyline. Not gonna throw out tons of spoilers here. To me it was worth the wait once for sure. If it was 3+ hours? Maybe not. But for the line it had today it definitely met expectations. Thankful to have finally ridden it and for not having to deal with any virtual queue systems to do so. Be patient with this, the line will be insane right from the get go. But it usually comes down a bit midday. Just be careful if you want to save it for later, they capped the line just before 7:00 today. I thought waiting in the a/c during the midday sun was the best choice and my plan worked very well. Stardust Racers is incredible with the dueling aspect which I didn't get to experience. Night rides are mind blowing. They kept it open an extra hour tonight which was terrific of them to do. They got each side running 3 trains later in the day and the line does not stop moving when they do that. The green side is indeed very slightly more intense than the yellow side, but you can often get on in about 3 less ride cycles on the yellow side because everyone chooses green. I think I still cast my preference to Velocicoaster simply because it has the mosasaurus roll which is my favorite element of all time, but I absolutely understand how people can put this ahead. It hits from beginning to end and is frankly one of the best ejector air machines ever built. This ride is a home run and extremely rerideable. I can't say enough good things about it. Nintendo World was a circus. I love hanging out in there but this area badly needs that rumored expansion to happen asap. Rode Yoshi but even that was 30 minutes for a short ride. Mario Kart and Mine Cart almost never dropped below 2 hours today. Monsters Unchained was a lot of fun the 2nd time around. I think the first time my expectations were a little unrealistic. I had a great time on it tonight, the line was very short and fast moving. The ride was great and if anything wasn't working than I couldn't care to notice. Definitely my 3rd favorite ride in the park. Skipped the spinner as it never really got below an hour. Hiccup was a quick 25 minute wait around 6:30 and was fun as always. The restraints blow and I wish they would've done a little better with that. But the ride it zippy and fun and the theming is adorable. Also viewed Untrainable Dragon which is a bit short but a lot of run. Go check it out! Want to point out two negative experiences from today. First of which was Pizza Moon. Went in there around 4:00. Ordered a Space Cowboy which is essentially BBQ chicken pizza. People next to us sat down 5 minutes later and they had their two pizzas and a salad before we got ours even though the app said our pizza was ready. After about 20 minutes we asked a staff member who was like "oh those take extra long to make but it will be out soon!" (then why would the app say it's ready)...so ok. The people next to us are their pizza, left, and the next seating sat down and ordered and still no pizza for us. It was 45 minutes in at this point so I asked again and this time the waiter sent over a manager who had a terrible attitude and made us feel like shit for even asking about it. But he radioed something in and a few minutes later our pizza finally came over just as the people next to us (keep in mind this was the SECOND seating at that table after we ordered) got their meal. The pizza was very good. I still have no idea why it took almost an hour. And some of the staff members here need to remove the stick from their ass when people ask about something. Something obviously happened with our pizza. Just apologize and say you're working on it instead of being a complete jackass about it, and don't gaslight me with "oh that one takes longer" when the app clearly showed that it was done and ready. 2nd negative experience was that goddamn Carousel. We got in line at 7:55 with a posted 15 minute line and a couple switchbacks full. Just after getting in it changed to 25 minutes, understandable because it was one of 3 rides actually open during a small shower that passed through. At 8:45 I saw Stardust running again and finally bailed after being 50 minutes into a 15 minute line and still being multiple cycles away from riding. They were taking at least 7/8ths of each cycle from Fastpass. And the load times on this are atrocious, usually 5+ minutes. The ops are just obscenely bad on this. How can you screw up the ops on a Carousel? All in all definitely a fun day but I'm done with this place till they add it to the annual pass. It's a gorgeous park with 3 great rides and a few other very good rides, but it needs a lot more to keep up with the crowds it is going to get when they open up to max capacity. I shudder to think of how long the lines will be when they allow 100% capacity. Even if it was dead, I'd still rather be at IOA. In a few years this park may very well eclipse IOA but I don't think it's close right now. It's gorgeous and especially stunning at night, but the lack of shade is draining during the day.

Shocking!!!! not... By August... no effects and it will be a walk-through

After having sailed on the Disney Dream across Europe over the Summer, we were excited to have the chance to experience something entirely new... The Disney Treasure launched late in 2024, taking alternating seven night sailings to the Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean from Port Canaveral, Florida. Along our sailing, we would have the chance to visit our favorite Disney's Castaway Cay as well as the new Disney's Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point in Eleuthera, Bahamas. As big fans of the Disney Wish (I've got another report to share from our somewhat-recent sailing there soon), we excited to see how the Disney Treasure would be similar and different from her sister ship... This is never a bad sight to start off your day! Given that our sailing was at the tail end of the year, the port (and several of our ports of call) were decorated for the holidays. The Grand Hall on the Disney Treasure is inspired by Disney's Aladdin. I spent a lot of time staring across this space. We love exploring the ship during the embarkation day "open house" period, as it allows you to visit spaces that are primary closed off to adults and non-paying guests (depending on the venue) before the ship has left the port. The it's a small world nursery is an adorable example of this. Presented in the classic Mary Blair style, there is a lot of character to take in... This moving train that circles the ceiling of the venue is one of my favorite details. Mickey & Minnie's Captain's Deck is a nice play space that can be annexed into either the Disney's Oceaneer's Club or the it's a small world nursery throughout the cruise, enabling children from either age group to have a chance to enjoy all that is found within. The Walt Disney Imagineering Lab in Disney's Oceaneer's Club is one of my favorite youth spaces in the fleet, and of course they have those amazing handwashing stations here as well. The Imagineering Lab has an interactive simulator which allows younger guests to ride virtual versions of classic Disney attractions. The space is filled with detail and authentic props from the parks... The costume from the former Rivers of Light nighttime spectacular at Disney's Animal Kingdom Park is one of my favorites. A model of the very ship we were sailing on, found on the very ship we were sailing on. Three of my favorite posters for three of my favorite attractions. A scale copy of the Grand Hall bronze statue found in the Walt Disney Imagineering Lab... Figment has found his way onboard! There are lots of themed spaces for kids to enjoy within Disney's Oceaneer's Club. Also a collection of some of the most adorable restrooms you'll find out of anywhere made by Disney. As my username implies, I kind of like Star Wars. Ok, I like it a lot. Enough to get really excited when I see a dianoga in the water... Especially excited to see an adorable lothcat twitching in its sleep. Marvel Superhero Academy is another impressive space within Disney's Oceaneer's Club, featuring interactive experiences and games... I was able to try my hand at being a certain web-slinging superhero in a battle against Ultron's army of bots. The space directly ties into the Worlds of Marvel dinner show, particularly the Avengers: Quantum Encounter show. Back in the Grand Hall we found Peter Pan guiding guests on a treasure hunt. And a friendly Genie overhead to welcome guests aboard. One of my most important stops on embarkation lunch is to Marceline Market where I indulge in delicious seafood... But maybe I'm just shellfish. Our home for the next seven nights! Complete with a very comfortable verandah! Sarabi is the ship's two-story flex venue which hosted shows, trivia, bingo and more throughout the cruise. A close-up look at the magic lamp found in the Grand Hall of the Disney Treasure. I'm not kidding when I say that "Let's Set Sail" is one of my favorite entertainment offerings across the Disney Cruise Line fleet. It's a high energy kick-off to your cruise featuring all of your favorite characters, great upbeat and emotional music (gets me every time) and tons of fun! The magic is so strong, the cast float on air! We've got royalty in the house! Make that double! How about triple? Simply the best! Not long after the ship sailed away from Port Canaveral it was time for our first dinner at Plaza de Coco! Located in the same space as Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure on the Disney Wish, this venue features in-story entertainment as well as authentic, fantastic Mexican food. These Chorizo Street Croquettes were among my favorite things I consumed throughout the cruise. Abuelita Elena's Shrimp Diabla did not disappoint! The show also features an authentic mariachi band to entertain guests and to set the evening mood. The Butternut Squash Enchilada was a fantastic meatless meal option. The Margarita Lime Cheesecake was a delicious way to cap off our meal. The level of detail in bringing Coco to life onboard is excellent. Miguel's family tree... I love the feel of this space! Like other Disney Cruise Line ships, the hallways and stairwells contain unique art that pays tribute to Disney content of all types and ages. Now for something I had been eagerly anticipating for some time... Welcome foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion Parlor! The Haunted Mansion Parlor is an extension of the Haunted Mansion attraction, with its own unique story, elements and lots of tie-ins to the original experience. This fish tank is one of the most notable elements within the space... But you won't find regular fish in here. Not unlike the attraction that inspired it, the Haunted Mansion Parlor features portraits that aren't quite as they appear... There's something more ghoulish that reveals itself in each of these, given time. The characters are similar to those you find in the Haunted Mansion, right down to the poses, but their stories and forms are not carbon copies of what you'd find on land. It was very appropriate that Captain Culpepper Clyne, also known to fans of the Disney lore as The Mariner, found his way into the Haunted Mansion Parlor. This character is based on one of the earliest Marc Davis sketches for Disney's version of what would become The Haunted Mansion. He at one point was represented in the attractions as a portrait whose staring eyes followed you. He also has a tomb in the Walt Dsieny World Magic Kingdom version of the attraction's queue. The Mariner also has his own themed drink and accompanying collectible mug available for purchase... Which I did. The Siren (previously pictured in portrait form) also has her own drink and mug available for purchase... Which I did. The mantle clock is similar but different to the grandfather clock found in the Haunted Mansion attraction. The Hitchhiking Ghosts make appearances in the bar mirror throughout the evening... A look at the venue's drink menu... There is a hidden drink option if you can solve a "chilling challenge" from within the digital menu... And here is what that option is. I love this tribute to former Imagineer Rolly Crump! Notice how these sconces look very similar to the "The Spirits Have Been Released" hidden menu item? The Haunted Mansion Parlor is filled to the brim with details including this candelabra which features a candle that is a nod to the Candle Man character that was once conceptualized for the attraction. There are blink-and-you-miss-it details throughout the Haunted Mansion Parlor... Like this portrait... It doesn't quite stay the same throughout the experience. Jumbeaux's Sweets is the ship's ice cream parlor and sweets shop. The space is incredibly cute! And there are lots of great ice cream flavors to enjoy! For all of you Taittinger enthusiasts, yes they have plenty onboard. The Jade Cricket Cafe is one of several coffee bars onboard. This one is inspired by the lucky cricket, Cri-Kee from the animated Disney film Mulan. Our night ended with an early rest knowing that our next day would be our first full sea day with lots to do throughout.

Track is fast on its way to Six Flags Over Texas! The greatest adventure is yet to come! Pics courtesy of Jeffrey Siebert and Six Flags Over Texas!

^I wouldn’t bet on a B&M Wingrider considering they already have Wild Eagle. My money is on a flying theater like Soarin’ or SkyFly: Soar America.

Dare to dream...

Got our first, brief visit to the park yesterday now that it's springtime again (it's been icy cold in the northeast). Overall, 4.5 hours in the park, three rides. Batman -- operations were horrible. At least five minutes between dispatches, two trains, waited 75 minutes in a half-full queue. Wicked Cyclone -- not as bad, still at least one ride op who staples with extra zeal, literally jumping and pushing down on the lap bar. Superman -- almost as bad as Batman. It seems like between every dispatch on those two coasters the main ride op had to sign paperwork and talk to a group of other employees. Literally between every dispatch. Training? I don't know, they've been open weekends for well over a month now. And the exit lane passes -- my lord, EVERYONE has these now. Only food we ate was the gyros and fries which are honestly delicious! Quantum Accelator: two trains on the track (one in station, one on transfer). Still building in the station and looks like a shed for the transfer track. Didn't know this has two launches! Sorry, only got a couple pictures, was hurrying from one end of the park to the other. Is it just me or are the trains super ugly? Anyway, looks like it'll be a fairly wild ride even if it is a "family launch" coaster. ^^ This is, I think, the highest point on the ride. There's a gentleman in the station doing what looks like electrical work. Zoomed in on the train in the station. The trains are very brown. Transfer track is forward of the station, not behind it on the circuit. Can just barely make out the two parallel launch tracks, sorry I didn't get better picture.

I hope they don't fix it, so I can read all of the comments of "We should be entitled to last rides!!"

I don't think anyone has mentioned Jeffrey Siebert is now GM(?) of the Texas region and over all the TX parks. Sounds great to me.

I wish I could answer your question but I'd have to shoot myself before I went to Florida in July so I have no idea how the crowds stack up during the summer. Other times of year, on Tuesdays I've generally found most things to be a walk on depending on what time you get to them. Hagrid and Velocicoaster will probably be 1.5 hrs and 45 mins respectively. Water rides will probably be long. Usually almost everything else is very short. I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to get through the whole park without express on a Tuesday. In Epic news...it's day 2 of regular operations. Ministry currently has a 1 hour line. I seriously am starting to think that they sold more tickets during preview than they're selling now. Fingers crossed it's still like this on June 2, I will have a blast that day if it is.

We were at the park all day 4/16 and part of the day 4/17. The Friday was the park's 50th birthday and my son's 22nd birthday so it was fun to have the fireworks and special atmosphere. Had not been to there for about 3 years so first time on Darkoaster and Nessie with the enhancements. Darkoaster is kitschy in a fun way and the theming is well done. The retracking on Nessie was noticeable and appreciated, I liked the added screens in the tunnel but I'm guessing some purists will view it as an unwelcome alteration. The giant Nessie is a bit over the top and was definitely bigger than I was expecting. The new BBW was available for passholders but we did get ert on it Sat morning before park open. Just like most of the other new gen family inverts it's butter smooth with a nice layout. Just as fun it has a creative story line, fun trains, and very well done theming throughout the ride. I never rode the original so not sure how the people that have apparently never forgiven the park for taking it out feel, but I thought the new coaster to be a great addition to the park and will probably take some crowd pressure off of Invadr for all those looking for a slightly tamer experience. Verbolten very very dead. I mean cobwebs growing over the entrance dead. Everything else open without any noticeable downtime. The log flume was out of action both days but there were employees on site messing with it. Griffon, Appollo's Chariot, and Pantheon still probably my favorites and was able to get night ride's on AC and Pantheon which we had never had before so that was fun. The food festival was great! We tried several booths, everything was pretty good and there was a good variety. To honor the 50th they were selling 75 cent beers on Friday and while it doesn't affect me because I don't like beer, it was obviously very popular with the masses. Sorry I didn't partake so I cannot tell you if there was a limit or the size of each, etc

We were at the park last weekend and got a couple rides in on Rapterra. While it's not a blow me away top ten coaster, it is a solid addition to the lineup. Well themed and creative that they got it packed into a relatively small footprint. In my opinion worth a wait if you are already at the park, not necessarily worth a trip for it alone. Still no action at Pantherian. Timbers running well but of course only if you appreciate the typical ejector air of an RMC. I actually thought the star was Grizzly. That thing is running really really great after all the retracking. I was actually quite surprised at how smooth it is right now.

I will be attending the commercial shoot Friday!

My way of transferring camera photos to Online Photos keeps changing on me, lol. Nonetheless, I decided to tackle the current photos taken yesterday...and was successful! Most of them are of the new Amphitheatre being built (opens next summer). At the entry gate, you can see the cranes being used, to build the new Amphitheatre. Testing, testing. The arcade, and most food spots, don't open until noon. Still no Play Quarters Games seen. <sad> A closer look at construction. Peeking thru a fence, for a slightly better look. Seen from the queue for Skybender. My one and only ride, yesterday. Till next weekend...

Yay first post! I was also here for opening day. Did Mind Eraser two separate times and I definitely agree its a better ride the closer towards the back you are. First time I was in the middle and found it enjoyable, second time I waited for the front and ended up regretting it lol. I did see that Predator was up and running before I left but it immediately got a huge line so I decided I'm saving it for next trip At this point I typically skip Viper and Boomerang because both just make me sick so I can't comment on those Tantrum was down for a while when I got there but when it came back it was running with two trains. I hope it stays that way all season I really hope they're not doing the thing they've been doing where Motocoaster doesn't open until later in the season but we'll see ig Darien Lake has so much potential if SF would just properly invest in it and this seems like a step in the right direction. Hopefully later in the season we'll see the second trains getting used because they could definitely help a lot.

Not sure if it's a permanent change but Ministry virtual queue was dropped today. Wait time according to the app was 2-3 hours for most of the day. I'll be happy if this change is permanent. It will be comforting knowing my chances of riding when I am there in 2 weeks don't rest completely in the hands of a flawed lottery system. I know there are a lot of other obstacles but it will be my choice on whether to wait out the issues and the long line.

Same happened for us, back around the 2006 TPR tour. I TPR toured it there, twice, first had one of those clone corkscrews; the 2nd visit (2010) had the replacement motor cycle (?) coaster. Very speedy that was. BUT - still "No Adults" on that kids' only one. I remember one of the group, who was 11, touring with his mom - no go - was turned away. That was sad to watch. The dark ride was just new back then, so I guess it's seen better years. And Kumali was GREAT back in 2006! I think I rode it several times, during our visit there that year. One of the more perfect SLCs imHo. And then I rode/loved/lived on Mumbo Jumbo on the 2010 Tour...bliss. Wanted it here in Vancouer at Playland. But we got ThunderVOLT instead. <sighs> Good TR on it and the zoo, Bert!

Day 11 (pt 1) full day at Flamingo Land: on the way to the last hotel for the trip (back near London), we stopped to spend most of the day at FlamingoLand. this is a weird ass park - on the one hand, it's very, very run down, and seemed to be falling apart in places. With some pretty awful operations (most coasters were running one - or less ! no really, a coaster was running one train ops with only loading the first 4 rows). . . *but* the rides/coasters they do have offer a wide variety of thrills, and included one of my favorite coasters on the trip. it's also a HUGE park. .that includes a zoo. and mixed in past the zoo? some more rides (tho these were mostly smaller rides, and I got the impression that this was the original park, and then they expanded behind the zoo to add the newer thrill rides section). the day we were there was overcast, and tho there was a lot SBNO - including a section with a chute the chutes and a mine train coaster that was completely shut down - and a LOT of stuff that broke while we were in line for it (tho they mainly got them back up and running fairly quickly) - AND it turned out we were there on a day that was a standard "Families with kids with special needs" day at the park (so was busy), it never really FELT crowded, as the park is so big. and I really enjoyed chatting with some of the special needs kids while they were in line with their companions and their excitement at riding "big coasters" was contagious. made for a wonderful day overall. even tho the appearance of the park, and the operations, definitely get a C- ? the day I had I'd give a high B+ to. (tho the SBNO monorails, train, race track, and other rides really are a giant eyesore, and they make no attempt to hide the "rotting" rides) on to pictures! it was so sad to leave Blackpool. . but at least I still had the lovely sights to see out of the bus windows a roundabout, with the first sign I'd seen pointing us to Flamingo Land and before too long, we pulled into a mostly empty parking lot (we had arrived before park open) hmm. . SOME theming here. wonder how it is thruout the park? (answer, very hit or miss. .with some areas really themed, some areas looked like they had been themed and over the years the park just gave up, and some areas with little/no theming). the big draw (at least for us) was staring at us right from the parking lot: SIK - an Intamin 10 loop coaster. it's very similar to Colossus at Thorpe Park, but with a different restraint system (and trust me, that makes ALL the difference in the world) Inside the front gates, and tho the day started out cool, it did warm up a bit. ok. . some nice theming near the entrance gates - tho really not sure what a pirate ship has to do with Flamingo Land. I'd try to catch a show later to see if there is a connection. on this side behind Sik is another (in)famous coaster here - Hero - a Zamperla Volare. oy. next to it in this pic is a Disc-O, and a drop tower (neither of which were operating during our visit). . . but that station on the right and the orange track, is another coaster: Velocity - a Zamperla MotorBike coaster (it was up and down all day, but got lucky with out skip the line passes and managed to get a ride on it). THIS is what we were gonna start off with tho. and the park does have the "classic" photo op in front of the multiple corkscrew inversions (and I could SWEAR Robb took a pic of the group there), I don't have that shot. . so here's a "not exactly lined up" shot of the multiple inversions. walking back over to SIK before the gates open, here's a pic of Hero. just looking around from in front of SIK while they get the morning test runs out of the way. that blue track behind the Disc-O is Kumali - the park's Vekoma SLC. yeah. it's like the park has the "greatest shits" in terms of the coasters. . LOL. and SIK is testing, yay! here's an onride shot (that I bought on a magnet) with Stacy, me, Doug and Nick. it shows off the different restraint system than Colossus has, and this makes is SO MUCH BETTER. no headbang (nothing to bang against!).. and turns this into such a great ride. by the time I got done purchasing the picture - don't ask. .it was a 15 minute shitshow - the park had opened and Velocity had already gone up and down a few times. they got it running again, and so I headed right over, and managed to get a ride before it went down again, using our quick queue passes. I sat out the Zamperla Volare - having already had the horrific experience of riding one of these in a park in Helsinki. So I just took pics and waited for those I was hanging with to ride. to be fair tho, those that did ride it? said it was running very well, and was way smoother than they expected. walking back over towards Mumbo Jumbo (the park's S&S El Loco), and Kumali (the park's Vekoma SLC), you have to go around this huge - and not operating today - race car attraction. Not sure if this is SBNO or was just not open today. . .but since what looked like the loading station was all blocked off and full of storage? I'd guess is SBNO. a shame, as it's huge, and in the center of this whole side of the park. Mumbo Jumbo was a new to me coaster. . I'd never been on an El Loco - as I've never been to Indiana Beach (for Steel Hawg) or to Adventuredome since CircusCircus put that in. so I was nervous, but excited. even with passes, and not much of a line, this took a while to get on, as it doesn't have the best capacity very intimidating. . . but those who were riding it, seemed to really be enjoying it (ignore the scowling kid in row 2. .LOL) just as we were about to get on.. . a restraint arm fell off. no. . really. . . bwaaa-haaa-haaaa did not have me feeling very "safe". . . but maintenance came out fairly quickly. . and after messing with it for a bit, just locked off that seat, and then tested and reopened the ride. Did I like it? not really. . I can see why others do like these El Locos, but for me, just felt a bit too. . . "im gonna try and kill you" for me to enjoy it. so was one and done for me, but I'm glad I got to ride one of these finally. Hey Andrew! speaking of "I'm going to try and kill you" rides, next up was the Vekoma SLC this one had the upgraded train (not trains, as they were only running 1 train, and of that 1 train, were only loading the 1st 6 rows, leaving the back 4 rows empty on every cycle). so yeah. .this one took a while to get on, especially with the apparent restrictions that special needs couldn't ride in front or back (so row 6) so the operators were pulling 2 quick queue, 4 special needs, and 4 standby line for each cycle). was it worth the wait? well, it actually DID ride better, I thought, than Infusion, which I had just ridden the prior day at Blackpool. but at the end of the day, it's an SLC. I mean..I'm smiling in the pic back behind this ride is the closed off section where the Chute the Chutes ride is (and looks like also an SBNO swinging ship too) this water battle ride, was not operating today. . .tho they did have the water features going, and it LOOKED like it typically does operate. one thing I did think was interesting here was how many kiddie coasters they have. when we visited, I think there were four, but looking at RCDB, it does appear that at least two of them closed down at the end of 2024. this one is still operating in the park tho. (and you can see in this pic the SBNO Monorail. . parked in the middle of the place, so you can get excited about riding it, but it's not working) whee. . . I believe I DID ride this one (Runaway Mine Train) with Stacy too, even tho I tend to skip the kiddie coasters. this one, called "Dino Roller" , I did not ride. but did take pics for those riding. . there's Nick in car 2. and Stacy in the back row. very interesting ferris wheel next door. I don't think I've ever seen a "covered wagon" wheel that had so many arms. while we were over in this area, my most anticipated coaster actually opened - tho it had been down all day thus far. Zooom! - a Zamperla Air Force coaster. yeah it doesn't do much, but it's my kind of dumb fun. .wheeee. we were among the first to get over to ride, but did find that Jon and Daniel had already hopped in line and were on the cycle before us. clouds really coming in. . was hoping it would hold off until our day was done (and it did) this small claw ride (adjacent to zooom!) was operating, but it looked like it was SUPPOSED to be over a lake, with water features that squirt as you swing over it. it was kinda looking sad and run-down without that in place. Jon having a blast me too. . . Whee!! another pic of a parked Monorail. . . I guess I just don't understand why have it out, if there's no way to actually ride it? Maybe the station was back in that SBNO area they are tearing down the chute the chutes in? I actually was interested in riding this, but it had a decent line, and there was so much more of the park to explore. still think it's super interesting tho. this big dino area, was another spot where they seemed to go in bigtime with some theming. there was a spinning coaster back here too. . so we headed in. I only seem to have taken pics of the queue line, tho we did ride it. it's called Twistosaurus, an is a Zamperla Twister Coaster (there are some pis of it on RCDB if you're curious). fun, but not super exciting. interesting factoid posted at Twistersaurus. looking at the park map, it appeared there was a haunted house attraction (family friendly) if we headed towards the zoo side of the park down this path. so we headed that way. quickly coming across another kiddie coaster - this one also now showing as removed at the end of 2024, called "Go Gator" adults were NOT allowed on this one, and I could see why. . nevermind getting in the train, that track didn't look like it could support over 80 lbs. a lovely cottage and picnic area, just in the center of a huge amusement park. and then we came upon Mischief Mansion. . ok, totally NOT an adult ride. . but man, was this embarrassing. I was embarrassed for the park that they were even operating this. only 3 cars working (the main operator told me they had 4 cars until last week, but one of them got stuck - and he was telling the truth, as in the ride? the car that broke is just sitting right by the side of the track - where they pushed it against the wall - and I guess riders are just supposed to pretend they don't see it? with only 3 cars, this one took a while, even with very small queue line. it seemed to be aimed at the 3-4 year old crowd, which I had gathered from the cutesy monsters. . . . but id say at least 75% of the triggered effects did not work, and those that did work? all seemed to make a fart sound. (not that farts aren't funny to the audience I guess they were going for). was told no pictures on the ride, so put my phone away, but this is from the queue. Yeah. .that's not theming. .that's a lot of cobwebs and dead bugs in the light. ewww. . .. lowest point of the visit I would say, if only because the idea of a haunt got my hopes up. to be continued. . .

There are new rumblings that a buyer from Florida might be lining up to take another stab at reopening Ghost Town in the Sky as a new attraction... https://www.facebook.com/NationalAmusementParkHistoricalAssociation/posts/1111008691062973?ref=embed_post Ghost Town Village in Maggie Valley may soon see a revival, as a potential buyer from Florida has expressed interest in purchasing the long-closed amusement park. Owner Jill McClure, who inherited the property, hopes to sell it for entertainment purposes rather than housing. The buyer envisions a venue featuring country music, rodeos, and festivals, aiming to keep the park family-friendly. McClure had a professional appraisal valuing the 285-acre property at $6.4 million1. If the deal doesn’t materialize, she plans to put it on the market. Locals are optimistic about the revival, believing it could boost tourism and revenue for the town. Movement on the sale could happen within months. The potential buyer first became interested in the property after delivering hurricane relief supplies to the area. McClure has full discretion over the sale following legal maneuvering after the passing of previous co-owner Frankie Wood. While some residents prefer Maggie Valley to remain a quiet town, others see the revival as an opportunity to restore its tourism-driven economy. The amusement park, originally opened in 1961, was once a major attraction featuring Wild West shows and celebrity performances.

Great TR Adam! Phantasialand was such an amazing park! I loved how dense many of the sections felt, especially with how much interactions there are between the big coasters and the paths. FLY was a huge surprise for me. It rides really differently to other flying coasters, even without the launches. While it doesn't have the ridiculous intensity of B&M pretzel loops, it was so much more forceful throughout its layout in general and had several good pops of air (especially the top of the second launch in the front). I really hope we see some more of these pop up around the place. Hotel Charles Lindburgh was really great to stay at as well. And yes, the rooms were small, but I never felt that cramped in them (and we barely spent any time awake in there anyways), and being surrounded by FLY was totally worth it. I think about the goat cheese and fig pasta I had on the first night constantly because it was so good. And relaxing at the bar in the evenings was great. Overall, this was another amazing TPR trip! It was so nice to be able travel to new parks and places with an amazing group of people. As always, a huge thank you to Robb and Elissa for all the work that they do in putting together a trip like this. Also, thanks to you, Adam, for being a great roommate, it was wonderful getting to know you over the trip along with everyone else.

With the 2025 season now underway, just wanted to give a couple thoughts on the state of the park and what could happen in the future. I visited on Passholder preview on Saturday 5/10. Park president at enthusiast events has stated that a new coaster is a "when," not an "if." Park needs infrastructure improvements before that happens. While he hasn't elaborated, I'm guessing this includes in part: the entry experience (parking tolls/parking lot/park entrance), dealing partly with the Flood Plain, upgrading certain facilities such as restrooms, and food service upgrades. I didn't see that much noticeable work on any of these during my visit. And it's worth noting how many closed--as in, shuttered, food service locations there are around the park. Ride signs for select attractions could be updated. Renegade's sign is extremely faded. Wild Thing could use new sign to go with its paint job. The starflyer and Disk'O only have the ride safety sign and could use a logo sign. Per maintenance: No titan track planned for Renegade. Wild Thing MCBR unlikely to ever turn off/down--final brake run too short. Park pres wants more limited time events a la Grand Carnivale, though none are currently scheduled. I remember getting a survey on this a couple years ago. Park pres is excited for the park's 50th anniversary. While the park opened in 1976, it didn't open at all in 2020. Either 2026 or 2027 could be used to celebrate. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a 2 year celebration. The Skycoaster has been removed from the park. The footings for the arch have been removed. The back spike footer still seems to be there. The op booth is still up. The concrete path has been torn up. I picked up a Worlds of Fun Mamba hat in a gift shop. It was tucked in among Wild Thing hats.

Went to Valleyfair this past weekend for Opening Day. Park looked clean as always. Ride operations were slow with new staff, but that is to be expected. There was a group of kids from Owatonna that kept getting away with using the Fast Pass lane and didn't have Fast Passes, which was kind of annoying, but whatever. Small issues... Retracking of High Roller did wonders on the second hill drop! So smooth.. While riding High Roller on the turn around, I did notice there was some trees removed and have red X's spray painted on the stumps in the old Antique Autos/Dinos Alive area. I would usually start to get my hopes up, but I've been a season pass holder for over 20 years, so not going down the roller coaster hope road ever again until there is an actual announcement... There are some areas of the park where a new ride just seem obvious: 1) slide complex at old Looping Starship 2) roller coaster at old Dinos spot 3) games midway always just feels empty and a waste Other Notes & Rambles: Power Tower is looking rough. 25 years old now that I think of it. Wild thing paint job looks great! Looks like they turnaround up to the brake run. Hope the lift hill/return hills/station area to complete it this next offseason! Renegade kicks ass as always! Could envision Steel Venom exiting the park's line up in 5-10 years with a coaster replacement in that corner of the parking lot too. It is pretty rare to see that ride batting 1.000 on the day, but I know they just put some money into it with the holding brake repair, so probably safe for awhile. Looking forward to another good year at the park with the family!

the refurbished Sangerfest Halle is now officially open. not only looks great, but the new layout VASTLY improved wait times - with the line splitting at the front for two sides with same options, and then 4 cashiers on each side. The Beverage station is also now on the same side (looks like what was the beverage station across the dining room area is going to be refurbed - if I had to guess, it will be a beer/alcohol stand, but at the moment it's all blocked off). the new food options are excellent, and this is NOT "theme park food" - other than the pizza and chicken fingers option that I guess they must offer for the picky eaters and kiddos. I DO wish some of the options that went away - such as my beloved Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich - will come back, as I feel they could use a few more options. opening options are: (all are Meal options on dining plan, and both deserts are Snack options) Salad (good size comes with grilled chicken chunks) Pizza plate - one large slize (cheese or Peperoni) with a pretzel bread stick Chicken Tenders - with a pretzel breadstick Sangerfest Platter - I entree, 1 side (+6.99 for additional sides) Entree Options: Traditional Braised Beef with Spaetzle, Grilled Brats, German Pork Loin, Chicken Tenders Side Options: Macaroni & Cheese, Fried Brussel Sprouts, Steak Fries, Fried Apples Deserts: Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake, Parfaits Everything we tried was excellent, and the serving size for the pork loin was big enough that could easily be shared. I always bring along baggies, and took home leftover pork and Brussells that made a great lunch today.

Free Day in Munich: Part 1 oy.. seeing that Adam is actually on his last day of the TPR trip, reminded me that despite having so much going on, I've GOT to get back to my dual Trip Reports (both Oktoberfest, and the UK) - not only because I love doing them, but because I have to make time for myself to do the things I love doing. so after a lengthy wait, here's an update for day 5 in Munich - our "Free Day" to explore the city, go back to the Oktoberfest faire, or just do whatever we wanted to do. Andrew and I decided via chat before the trip (and at the suggestion of options from Elissa that she had sent out prior to the trip) that we would spend our free day at the Munich museum of Science and Technology (the "Deutsches Museum") and I had prebought tix for us. a quick cab ride from the hotel, and we had arrived. the Deutsches Museum is a HUGE and very interactive museum, and as we were here on a Tuesday, we knew there would likely be school groups here (there were, but they pretty much stuck together, and so we were able to avoid the large groups most of the time - but the place is SO big, that even if packed it probably wouldn't have felt very packed. a view across the lovely waterway that passes by the Museum. it doesn't look that big (that's what she said!), but the more you get into it, you realize there are levels below ground and farther back. and they are doing some massive construction near what would be the front entrance (the gift shop is on the left) to build, I believe, a Planetarium. so this is the current entrance, down the side of the building, under the large "Barometer tower" Munich truly is a very lovely city from the current entrance, one enters by one of the working scientific labs that suspended above a large conference area - where they were holding talks and shows that the public are welcome to join. you can join to work in in the lab with the scientists too. . . tho that's an upcharge and only during certain hours. another view of the lab from the coffee shop they had set up near this entrance. a most important stop to get to once we scanned in (and a potty break too) looking out the back window while sipping coffees.. yeah, the building goes way back, and there are even full size boats just out back that one could touch and go on. as the museum is so big, we decided to follow the extremely helpful map, and just go along the route it recommended. the first large room, was also where most of the school groups started too. So tho you can't see it in these pics, there were a LOT of kids in this first display area. once we moved on from this room tho, we didn't really interact with the school groups. they were mostly doing the audio tour - which we could have done - but chose instead to skip so we could spend more time on the things that interested us most, instead of going from case to case with the audio tour. the first exhibit hall was about the history (and future) of robotics - starting out with toys: a display about how a robot would "see" with thermal imaging CREEPY !!!! one of the first ever full size robots built with a human face the historical robotics stuff here was SO interesting. I could have spent way longer in this hall, but it was getting crowded. they even had a Golem. I was super impressed this guy played guitar. . down this next hall was the way to proceed into the main museum.. .and I snapped this pic to show Andrew how once we got out of this room, there was plenty of space and way less kids. i mean, it's GREAT there were school groups of kids at a museum. and it was GREAT they were all well behaved. but.. I mean. . kids (shudder) one last pic in the robotics room. . . and then quickly buypassing the next room (about trains and transportation) to get more ahead of the groups. it was a really impressive train set up tho. . . we went back later to catch it fully running. in the base of the "Barometer Tower" is a Foucault pendulum display. . . very interesting, even tho I'd seen a version of this at Tokyo DisneySea in the Michelangelo challenge area. the point is that it proves the Earth's rotation. the next exhibit hall on this floor was about Bridges/Tunnels/construction. i totally got why Elissa had described this as a "fun" museum. So interactive, with so many displays. I loved it, and think we spent over 6 hours here this day. yes, they actually have a glass suspension bridge build across the area! pretty cool to walk over and look down to displays you'd get to later in this hall. most of these models are working - you push a button and they show how they operate. honestly, the history of construction materials and types was WAY more interesting than I ever thought it would be! we spent so much time in this room the groups started to catch up with us. and the area about water, and how it's utilized to generate power to move the machinery is really cool too.. tho the sound over here did make me have to pee as noted. . some really impressive models in this museum Andrew and I posing in front of a cross section of a cable that supports a Suspension Bridge. LOL.. in this pic you can see the groups starting to filter in so we moved into the next connected hall, which was all about machinery and how it's powered and what energy is required, and what energy is produced and just off the hall from this is a huge, 4 story area, that all about aviation and space. this just shocked me. . suddenly was in a space that was just as large as the Air and Space Museum main exhibit hall at the Smithsonian! full size planes on display, and hanging from the open area ceilings. Andrew actually chatted with another tourist that was a fan of flying and they stood and talked aviation for a good 20 minutes over here. I found a lot of it interesting too , tho of course I found the display with the Stewardess Barbie. and no, putting Ken's Pilot hat on Barbie doesn't make her the pilot museum folks ha! a Playmobil TSA set. peeking out the windows over here, at what I think is a nearby cathedral ? the hall is so big, they even talk about commercial airlines, including a cross sectioned plane so you can see how the food, luggage are stored. up the stairs to level 2 of the museum - tho still sticking with the Aviation atrium area where they have a 360 flight simulator and they begin to talk about missiles, rockets, and space tee-hee another view out the window from the 2nd floor now. looked like it was gonna rain today, but for the most part, the weather held out full size walk thru of classic planes - inside a museum! finally found a direction board . . and I was wrong, thought we were on level 2, but we were now on level 1, as we had come in on level 0 as you can tell. . still LOTS to do. into the Space section, and a nice model of the shuttle and skylab not as much on display as they have at the Johnson Space Center outside of Houston. . but for a museum across the world? I was really impressed by how much they do have on display. didn't seem to take many pictures in the "Science" hall.. .but I think that's because there was so much interactive stuff to do, that I just didn't even think to take many pics. thought these tubes/thermometers were pretty dang kewl tho. and who DOESN'T want a "Gilbert Nuclear Physics Atomic Energy Lab" playset???? to be continued . . .

Walt Disney World has revealed new details regarding the Pirates of the Caribbean-themed tavern coming to Magic Kingdom Park, The Beak and Barrel. https://disneyparksblog.com/wdw/the-beak-and-barrel-new-details-from-pirates-of-the-caribbean-tavern/ It’s time to raise a glass and let out a hearty shout – The Beak and Barrel opens later this year in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom Park! Established by the legendary pirate rumrunner, Captain Meridian “Merry” Goldwyn, and her talkative first mate, Rummy (more on them below), this lively pirate pub will soon welcome swashbucklers, scoundrels, bandits and buccaneers of all ages from every corner of the seven seas.  Meet Rummy As Merry’s trusted companion and first mate, Rummy serves as the tavern’s quartermaster keeping an eye on the place from his roost high atop the bar. Although retired from seafaring life, Rummy is a dutiful crewman to his beloved Merry, ensuring everything is ship-shape, sharing tales of piracy and leading the bar in a rousing toast or two.   Eagle-eyed Disney fans may notice that Rummy bears a striking resemblance to the original Barker Bird that previously sat at the entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean but flew the coop some time ago.  The Mess The largest and central space at The Beak and Barrel was once the mess hall for Spanish soldiers and is now known appropriately as “The Mess.” Long tables span the room, allowing for pirates to gather ‘round and tell their own tales, while an imposing anchor covered in candles and dripping wax hangs high above.   A large bar anchors one side of the room, cobbled together from salvaged portions of a cursed shipwreck. At its center, the skull-shaped stern holds an impressive collection of grogs and brew. Guests may also spot the Enchanted Rum Bottle, which was gifted to Merry by the enchantress Tia Dalma and seemingly serves as the source of the tavern’s specialty brews, or Rummy hobbling along the bar’s ledge, greeting the patrons and keeping a close eye on the crew while Merry is away.   Captains’ Quarters Inside the Captains’ Quarters, visiting pirates can enjoy a taste of the finer life, which was once the living quarters of the Spanish Comandante. However, the fine artwork and drapery hasn’t escaped slashing blades or burn marks over the years by rambunctious pirates, and in some places, faded spots on the wall are all that remains of now plundered portraits.   Above the fireplace are mounted five miniature ships in glass bottles, rumored to represent pirates from every corner of the world banding together to defeat tyranny. Keep a weathered eye out, as these mysterious bottles have been known to come alive and engage in a fearsome battle.  There’s still plenty more to be discovered inside The Beak and Barrel, but that’s enough for today. Be sure to stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for more details, including the opening date and a first look at some of the sea-worthy selection of drinks and bites fit for pirates of all ages coming soon. It’s a pirate’s life for us!

As the Halloween Horror Nights season approaches, Universal Destinations and Experiences has started to release news on some of the offerings which will be found at this year's event... https://www.ign.com/articles/universal-studios-halloween-horror-nights-2025-to-feature-the-first-ever-fallout-haunted-house IGN can exclusively reveal that Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights in both Orlando and Hollywood will be getting a new haunted house based on Prime Video’s Fallout series and that HHN’s Five Night’s at Freddy’s experience will be based on the movie, the latter of which will be brought to life with the help of the legendary Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, who also did the animatronics for the film. While we don’t know much more about the Five Nights at Freddy’s experience, Fallout’s haunted house will open on August 29 at Universal Orlando Resort and on September 4 at Universal Studios Hollywood, and it will allow fans to relive the greatest moments from Fallout’s first season and more. Guests will first enter Vault 33 and follow Lucy LacLean as she tries to escape a bloody massacre while also learning of an “evil hidden secret.” The journey will then take guests outside the vault and into the Wasteland, where they will need to dodge attacks from both Scavengers, Raiders, and even mutated cockroaches known as RAD Roaches. Throughout the trek through the Wasteland, guests will visit the Super Duper Mart, encounter the Ghoul, and even meet Maximus and his massive T-60 armor. To learn more about this exciting and terrifying trip to the nuclear wasteland, we had the chance to speak to John Murdy, Creative Director / Executive Producer at Universal Studios Hollywood, and Matthew Flood, Senior Show Director at Universal Orlando Resort, for IGN Live. Among other things, these big fans of Fallout shared how they and the team are doing all they can to make this the best Fallout experience ever. “As you go through these environments, we want fans to say, ‘I recognize this, I'm in a Fallout vault. How cool is that?!’ Flood said. “Where else are you going to get to say that you walked through a Fallout vault and then into the Wasteland and saw ghouls? “And you can see and understand what the world is just by what you pass, including the bodies when Lucy first exits the vault. That type of thing is really good for us in Halloween Horror Nights and… yes, it’s gruesome, which is what our fans want at Halloween Horror Nights. It’s also scary and provides great characters, good monsters, all the mutated creatures, and the ghouls. That’s ripe for the picking when it comes to Halloween Horror Nights.” Fallout also offers the team a chance to do something they’ve never done before. “Fallout is kind of retro futuristic, and a lot of the aesthetics of it are very 1950s,” Murdy said. “The fact that we get to deal with the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust is very exciting for us since we've never done anything like that at HHN before. It’s like tapping into a whole different realm of horror.” What’s also interesting is that Hollywood and Orlando will each have unique aspects to their Fallout experience, including for the T-60 armor. “It's massive,” Murdy said of the T-60 Armor. “We work really closely with the people who are producing Fallout, and they've shared an incredible number of assets with us. We've done a lot of really big stuff over the years with Horror Nights, but this has got to be, I think, one of the biggest things we've ever had to do. We also thought it’d be cool if each park had a lot in common but also some differences. So, for Hollywood, the Power Armor is a full animatronic; we’re doing it as a fully animated figure.” “In Orlando, we do have kind of a final battle moment,” Flood added. “I’m not going to reveal too much, but yes, T-60s will be part of that battle. We also got a chance to fit in Filly, and I think having a moment to get a real-life Fallout battle happening there is pretty cool.” Murdy also teased that each Fallout house will have its own “creature takes,” and Hollywood’s will be the horrifying Yao Guai Bear. With ghouls and mutated bears and murderous scavengers abound, this haunted house is meant to be a chaotic thing, but Flood, Murdy, and the team have taken great care to have it be more than just non-stop terror. Murdy told us that his writing treatments for this Fallout experience averaged 100 pages, which feature both a narrative guide and a technical breakdown from start to finish. “It's that detailed because we need to spell it all out for our team so they know exactly what to create,” Murdy said. “And what Horror Nights is known for is our attention to detail. And what we're aiming for alongside the casual guest is the uber fan. We want to have so many different Easter Eggs that certain people won't particularly notice, but that the real hardcore fans of the video game and the series will.” Flood teased that there is a Pip-Boy they’ve been working on that will be a treat to find, and he teased that guests should look in all the windows of the storefronts or sides of buildings, as there will be “little things scattered around.” “If you're here for a second or third time through the house, and you get a chance to glance down when you're not totally terrified, you can see a lot of those Easter eggs existing throughout the house,” Flood said. Lastly, we asked what the pair what they were most excited about bringing to life for Hollywood Horror Nights. “For me, it was obviously the Wasteland,” Murdy said. “It is fun to go from the vaults where you're in a claustrophobic environment to then kind of open it up into the Wasteland. However, when I think of it purely from what Horror Nights delivers, it’s Super Duper Mart.” Speaking of exciting fictional businesses, we were able to get one more exciting quote for the Five Nights at Freddy’s experience at this year’s Hollywood Horror Nights, and it’s making the wait for more details even worse! “When you experience this, it is literally like living in the movie,” Murdy said. https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/universal-halloween-horror-nights-five-nights-at-freddys-2025 Every year, horror fans from around the world flock to Hollywood and Orlando for Universal's Halloween Horror Nights, a fall festival of fear that always features some of your favorite monsters from across pop culture. Every year the attractions pack in tons of new horror fun, and every year fans have their own special wish list of which properties will get haunted houses this time around. Well, Five Nights at Freddy's fans, this one's for you. Universal announced over the weekend, via the official Halloween Horror Nights account on X (formerly Twitter), that FNaF will get its own haunted house during this year's festivities, and the attraction will be coming to both Hollywood and Orlando versions of the Horror Nights experience. So whichever coast you visit, Freddy Fazbear and all his friends will be waiting. Sadly, we don't have any more details yet, but the post does promise that Five Nights at Freddy's will be presented in "a whole new way" at this year's Halloween Horror Nights, so fans of the franchise will definitely want to keep their eyes out for more news, especially since there's a new movie on the horizon. Beginning with the original video game from Scott Cawthon, which released in the summer of 2014, Five Nights at Freddy's has spent the last decade expanding into a mega-popular horror brand that features everything from numerous video game sequels and spinoffs to a series of books to loads of merch. In 2023, the franchise reached a whole new fandom when the first Five Nights at Freddy's movie, starring Josh Hutcherson and Matthew Lillard, landed in theaters and on Peacock. And the mayhem continues in 2025. Universal and Blumhouse Productions announced last year that Five Nights at Freddy's 2 would hit theaters December 5, just weeks after Halloween, and back in April we got a first look at the teaser trailer for the new film, which features returning cast members Hutcherson, Lillard, Elizabeth Lail, and Piper Rubio, along with new cast members like Skeet Ulrich, Wayne Knight, and Mckenna Grace. Halloween Horror Nights returns to Universal Parks this fall.

^ It all - looks - so - niiiice!

Sorry would not, or should not

I might actually go ride this coaster that I've lived 20 minutes from for the last 10 years.

https://disneyparksblog.com/disney-experiences/the-mandalorian-grogu-and-new-crew-controls-coming-to-smugglers-run/ Bright Suns from Star Wars Celebration Japan! We just wrapped our Walt Disney Imagineering panel where I was joined by Imagineers Anisha Deshmane and Michael Serna as well as Matt Martin from Lucasfilm to talk about the creative development behind current and future Star Wars projects at Disney parks and resorts around the world. In the panel, we shared some exciting news that expands on some of the updates discussed at SXSW, and I can’t wait to share what we talked about! Take Control with New Powers for the Crew Starting May 22, 2026 at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run will allow guests to control the iconic ship like never before. For the first time ever, the crew will be in control of their own destination, leading to potential adventures on Bespin, the wreckage of the second Death Star around Endor, or the just-announced bustling city-planet, Coruscant. Another new gameplay addition allows the engineer positions to communicate with Grogu during the mission. Mando and Grogu Join the Adventure We’re so excited that these updates debut on the same day as Lucasfilm’s upcoming title, The Mandalorian and Grogu, however, the attraction’s storyline will follow a different path. In this new thrilling storyline, Hondo Ohnaka has gotten wind of a deal going down on Tatooine between ex-Imperial officers and a band of pirates. There’s a generous bounty for their capture, so you’ll borrow the iconic ship and team up with Mando and Grogu to track them down and explore the galaxy. None of this would be possible without our partnership with Industrial Light and Magic (ILM). With their help, you are in control of your own destiny on the attraction. This technology is all built on Unreal Engine 5 by Epic Games which are the same tools ILM uses on the Disney+ show, The Mandalorian. To finish off our panel, the ever-popular BDX Droids made a pit stop! They’re now at Tokyo Disney Resort but will also make appearances at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Paris for a limited time very soon. Be sure to stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog and @DisneyParks socials for the latest news on all things Star Wars coming to Disney Experiences. May the Force Be With You, Always

If I recall correctly, they paid something like $23 million to acquire the leases (a few parks have been added since then with this structure, so likely a bit more now if they sold them as a package) and then they pay rent to the owner, in this case the company out of KC, EPR I think it is. I don't believe they own any of the rides or structures....that is EPR who does, so I assume EPR chooses to add new attractions or not and how much to spend. Maybe they just fall on SIX to help with buying in bulk or leveraging any deals with vendors. Here is from the press release at the time, which is why I interpret it that way, but I may be incorrect: Houston, Phoenix, Buffalo, and Oklahoma City Parks Expand Market Reach GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Six Flags EntertainmentCorporation (NYSE:SIX), the world’s largest regional theme park company, today announced it has entered into a purchase agreement with affiliates of Premier Parks, LLC to acquire the lease rights to operate five parks owned by EPR Properties (NYSE:EPR). The parks have previously been operated by Premier Parks, LLC of Oklahoma City. These latest acquisitions will expand the company’s portfolio of North American parks to twenty-five. “Today’s announcement represents another milestone in our strategic North-American growth initiative to seek out park acquisitions that expand our addressable market,” said Six Flags Chairman, CEO, and President, Jim Reid-Anderson. “These are all fantastic properties that complement our existing portfolio and provide tremendous added value and cross-visitation opportunities for our extensive Membership and Season Pass base.”