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our house looks like an abandoned home, with lights kept off and shades drawn. we won't be giving out any candy, or answering the door because we'll be at Knoebels.

Speaking of the now Defunt Oak Island. Fun fact, in the Spring Sixflags bought out all their warehouses and two haunted houses that were sold to KK and shipped most of it to Texas for distribution at a later date

It's beyond time for California parks to open. Bars, restaurants, malls, and gyms are back open, all of which are more prone to spreading virus than outdoor theme parks with reduced capacity.

As a theatre industry professional (backstage, design, management), I'm gonna have to disagree with you there. Here's an non-exhaustive list of reasons why - Let's get this out of the way right out in front. Too many goddamn video/projection-based effects. This is a stage show, so use some stagecraft. The constant projections instead of the multitude of better, prettier illusions that could be used are a slap in the face to any stage tech worth their salt. Speaking of video and projection reliance, most of the "sets" are not sets at all, just a video with a large open stage. This is a story set in castles (stone and ice), forests, etc, yet they refused to populate the stage with anything but open space. Those three stupid doors are the entire set for the kingdom of Arendelle. You kidding me? Holy hell the choreography. Someone was called up from Carnival Cruise Lines for that crap. The Let It Go dress transformation. My god. I've seen more convincing quick changes in elementary school productions. How does the Broadway version of this gag kick all kinds of ass, yet the park version equates to literally turning the lights off for a second while Elsa pulls a zipper? Awful. The wolf chase sequence would have been incredible if they spent more than five minutes rehearsing it. The lighting is on point and the sled is very well made with the motion base, but the cast is far too slow and not nearly as urgent as one would think while being chased by wolves. Also, the final "Jump, Sven!" and all three characters flying into the air? Again, it would be fantastic if they choreographed it to happen faster than a snail taking a sunday stroll. The trolls are...not good. The costumes are a train wreck themselves, but you'd think a theme park show would skip over the bad songs and stick to what people enjoy, right? Not here! You're gonna hear Fixer Upper from front to back and you're gonna damn well like it! The finale. And here's a list of good things - Elsa's staircase. That thing is a wonder to behold as a tech. A full-size, cantilevered staircase that rotates over the audience with only one point of contact? Holy crap! Damn shame that's the only part of Elsa's castle that actually exists outside of the screens. The idea and half of the execution of the wolf chase sequence. See notes above. Sven's puppet was much better than the Broadway nightmare-fuel version. It's an amateur, half-baked, rush job that had no reason to be as bad as it was. Frozen on stage had the potential to break new ground and really go hog wild with illusions and set design. Instead we got what we got.

Disney has announced that Buena Vista Street inside Disney's California Adventure will be open for shopping and dining! https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/10/more-shopping-more-dining-coming-soon-downtown-disney-district-at-disneyland-resort-extends-to-buena-vista-street/?fbclid=IwAR2Zds_emU_DAYRWwHcV5ig-hFfsRkueP8wFosEbRKr0qCrCeJ-EdC0Mk0I More Shopping, More Dining! Coming Soon: Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort Extends to Buena Vista Street Beginning in November there will be even more distinctively Disney dining and shopping for you to enjoy at the Disneyland Resort, when the Downtown Disney District extends to Buena Vista Street! Recently, we introduced Downtown Disney guests to the Disneyland Resort Backlot Premiere Shop at Stage 17. This store is currently showcasing an array of seasonal merchandise for you to browse. With Buena Vista Street soon opening select shopping and dining experiences, you can find even more places to enjoy a memorable meal or a fun shopping excursion during your visit. Here’s what you can discover – be sure to put these places on your shopping and dining list: Holiday shopping? Head to Elias & Co. The store is divided into distinct sections for men, women and children, so you’ll find something special for the entire family! At Julius Katz & Sons, peruse even more holiday merchandise and Disney-themed home décor. At Kingswell Camera Shop offers great gift-giving ideas like frames, photo albums and more. Buena Vista Street stores have a variety of your Disney favorites! If you are looking to tempt your taste buds with a snack, Trolley Treats offers classic candies, old-fashioned confections and all kinds of freshly made treats. Vending carts will offer popcorn, churros, ice cream and other “must-bite” treats. Swing by Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe for the enchanting sights and sounds of Buena Vista Street—and a cup of coffee or scrumptious artisan sandwich. Sit-down dining options include Carthay Circle Lounge, where you can unwind in our expanded outdoor seating area featuring an all-new menu of cocktails and dining. Smokejumpers Grill is serving up tasty American classics for lunch and dinner with a streamlined menu of burgers, fries, onion rings and craft beer, located just around the corner from Buena Vista Street. The primary way to place your order at this dining location is through mobile order on the Disneyland App.* Only the shopping and dining experiences along Buena Vista Street will be accessible from the Downtown Disney District at this time, as Disney California Adventure park is currently closed.

If Gavin Newsom eventually changes his mind on this and sends people back out to other parks around the country before releasing guidelines then Six Flags had better hope and pray that they don't go to a Six Flags park or this place won't be allowed to open for a year. If they do open and they check up on it, they'll get shut down again immediately. Just setting expectations here... PS: Knott's, Disney and Universal should absolutely be allowed to open though. I just don't care of Six Flags is allowed to open because they've shown time-and-time-again that they have no intention of enforcing any of their covid policies at any of their parks. They just made them up to trick each state into letting them open. This park opening would honestly be a PR problem for the other parks in the region and a bad look for the industry unless it's drastically different than every other park in the chain which I don't anticipate at all.

Rides have been testing and lots of credible people are openly sharing it. I believe it. It's ballsy for Cedar Fair considering the fact that North Carolina is having a rise in cases (not because going to a theme park is all that dangerous but because there's always a risk of reactionary restrictions), then again they probably planned it months ago... We'll be in Charlotte for Christmas week anyway so we'll probably go and grab a beer while scrolling through my feed full of people riding Nitro, Raging Bull and Candymonium wondering WTF this park's problem is which is becoming a time-honored Christmas tradition.

Well, tonight's The Night! David's driving me to the entry way of Playland. And I'll then have a choice of having Customer Services to call him and get me a ride home. Or...take transit back. It's easy from the park. Just a matter of "how long between buses?", etc. And of course, looking forward to seeing how they toned down most of everything that the adults enjoyed (including the Ride Side BAR), including no walk-thru haunt houses at - all. So instead of all that, there's a walk-thru "exhibit" I guess, highlighting the haunt houses them self. Hmm. Wonder how the 13 yr.olds will view it? That's the age limit they've lowered it to, from the adult age limit (19). But most of the rides will all be open, so I am hoping for another great THRILL on (dare I say it?) Gladiator, of all flat rides! And a TR to follow all this, I am planning. Hold on tight, till then!

I received an email from Knott's today asking Californians to help reopen the parks by messaging the governor. It took me only a couple of minutes to copy and paste some stuff, so it is super easy, and please try to help out too. https://reopencaamusementparks.com/ "California Parks Are Ready to Reopen Responsibly California Attractions and Parks Association is the only statewide association that represents the permanent amusement park industry. The association was incorporated in 2003 and opened offices in Sacramento in February 2004. CAPA serves as the voice of the attractions and amusement industry, working closely with legislators and regulators on issues of regulation, tourism, and ride safety. CAPA is also the industry's information source, providing updates on ride inspections, reporting requirements, and legislation that has the potential to impact our industry. Sign the letter and let Governor Gavin Newson know that California parks are ready to reopen responsibly. "

If the state sticks to major parks being in the yellow tier, May is optimistic unless an effective vaccine launches before then. less than 1 case per 100k people in a county with a population of 10 million just isn’t feasible right now.

So we were at a Korean park last week. Even before corona the parks tend to shut half the rides or operate them on half day shifts on off peak weekdays. I bring this up because the lines I'm talking about here aren't a handful of people, I took my son to a park on Friday and because less rides run, we waited maybe 30-40 minutes for some children's rides in cattle pens. The park has footprints painted in the lines but people just didn't social distance or follow the stickers in any of the lines, you were packed in for 20-40 minutes. And although everyone wore masks people were constantly bringing food into these crammed queue lines and eating. There was also gloves at some Halloween games and hand sanitizers all around the queue lines but some people ignored this and rides weren't wiped from what we could see. Despite all these examples, what Korea does have is a very good track and trace so I can tell you at least 2 positive people have been to Lotte World and 1 in Everland and yet there were 0 transmissions found to have happened in the parks. I hiked a mountain with my wife and we passed over 140 old people mask less in 2 hours. So far more possible contact than people walking around the theme parks in masks and we had less room to maneuver around them than at any theme parks, yet there's been almost no cases of transmissions or clusters there either. You know where it did spread in Korea? A Starbucks. And yet even in that enclosed air-con space the masked employees escaped infection: https://fortune.com/2020/08/25/covid-outbreak-starbucks-seoul-masks-employees/ It seems ridiculous to me that these giant open air spaces, where it is quite hard for it to spread have to remain closed, while so many other places can be open.

There are other jobs available. Not even close to a fair comparison. And I’m someone who is a causality of this nonsense. The rational argument you should be making is how if the goal is to keep people from congregating and spreading the virus, why isn’t everything shut down? Costco on the weekend is a madhouse. Same for malls. Even Sea World operating as a “zoo” and Knotts as “outdoor dining” being open makes no sense if the goal is to keep people from spreading the virus. What magical powers to rides have to spread the virus?

Just realized I posted this TR on page 420. Score!

I’m not here to discuss the intricacies of what type of bluegrass / country / backwoods whatever-the-f*ck music is what... most people know what I mean. I guess I’ll amend that to “redneck music that I don’t care about” if it makes you feel better.

Hopefully all NY amusement parks can open next season.