Leaderboard

I mean... these are the people that they're dealing with

I don't want to alarm anyone but Six Flags is kind-of theming something. I'm grading on a curve, but I am impressed. Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sfgadvconnoisseurs Also this should be set back from the path because if it's actually made out of wood, everyone is going to scratch their names into it in 5 seconds. At no point should this park forget that they have the worst guests ever...

New Raven video!

It opened with the park today, but it didn't open until 3 yesterday. Once it opens, it has a few 5-10 minute breakdowns a day it seems.

My only advice is to ride the coasters at Dorney once, ride Demon Drop, ride Thunder Creek Mountain and then leave immediately and go to Knoebels / Great Adventure / Hershey... anything.

Yeah, this is not advice I'd give to someone with or without FL. Hopefully people are weary of listening to going to SV first and we're not just outliers. Get there early, absolutely! Use this time wisely though, SV as you stated doesn't open until 10:15, with crowds flocking to it. Completely skip it during early entry, it's a waste of time. Instead, get on Raptor, Magnum or MF (You decide which) and Maverick (in that order). You should be done around 11 or 11:30, maybe get a few rides on SkyHawk and CCMR while no one's bothering with them yet. Then head to SV around noon to 1pm when all those early riders have gotten their ride and the line will likely be about half of whatever it was earlier. Or stand around waiting and miss out on rides to be the first on. Which if that's important to you, go right ahead, haha. For anyone reading this though looking to get more than a couple of rides in a day and the ability to ride everything at some point, this works with the current schedule very well. Also, never listen to the parks estimated waits for SV! I've seen it at most 2 and half hours opening weekend. It absolutely gets busy, but I've seen 45 minute waits listed as 2 hours more often than not.

Nice story and history of Jack. Clowns never scared/bothered me but they seem to really affect a large percent of the population so good for them!

Sesame Place 06/16 My 2nd trip of the year was Sesame Place with the family. We decided to go on a weekday with hopes of crowds being not as bad as a weekend day. Overall, they weren't TOO bad. Later in the day the water park crowds were pretty decent. We didn't wait too long for each ride. Maybe 3 cycles at most. The weather was perfect: around 80 and sunny with no humidity. We did the water park first. Due to short staffing issues (like everywhere) the Count's Court area wasn't open. We were there for about 45 minutes before hitting the rides. The park has very tame rides (as it's for kids). There's 2 coasters there Vapor Trail & Oscar's Wacky Taxi coaster. It was disappointing to see that coaster closed when we first got there. My daughter went on just about everything. There was just one spinning ride she could not do that you needed to be 46" to ride. She liked everything but both coasters. Maybe next year she'll start liking the coasters. She claims they were too fast. On to the pics! The park entrance sign. One of the themed lands. This goes to the water park. This was closed for most of the day The Vapor Trail! Very fun for kids. Popular photo spot for families. Some scenery of the park. Sunny Day Carousel. Another part of the water park. Only stage show currently open. The only ride my oldest couldn't ride. Entrance to Cookie Monster Land. Elmo's Cloud Chaser ended up being my daughter's favorite ride. Captain Cookies High Cs Adventure. Who doesn't love a park sign photo? The 3 o'clock parade was very short. It just had 3 floats! This finally opened! It is a pretty fun little woodie. Thanks for reading! I'm hoping my next trip will be more adult friendly lol. Have a good day!

Anyone else just get blasted with emails from SeaWorld's entire chain?

There's secretly electrified wire just inside the wood, so anyone who puts a key or other metal object on it will be electrocuted and become food for the Jersey Devil. Pretty awesome sign though!

The Universal Orlando Resort has announced that the icon Jack "The Clown" Schmidt will return to this year's Halloween Horror Nights! https://media.universalorlando.com/press-releases/jack-returns-to-hhn-2021/ Jack the Clown returns as the demented face of Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights as the world’s premier Halloween event commemorates its 30th year – and select tickets and vacation packages are now on sale inviting guests to stay, scream and save. Halloween Horror Nights kicks off on Friday, September 3 and continues on select nights through Sunday, October 31, 2021. The most notorious icon in event history, Jack’s return to Halloween Horror Nights 2021 will be fraught with terror and fear as the grisly circus clown invades every corner of this year’s event with unsuspecting “Jack Attacks” that will send guests running for their lives. His ominous and unrelenting presence will infiltrate every aspect of the event – from the streets, to the haunted houses to the places guests would least expect – leaving nowhere to turn and nowhere to hide. Select tickets are on sale now for Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights, featuring a variety of ways for guests to customize their visit to stay, scream and save. Guests can save up to $52 on a single night event ticket when purchasing online, and book various event upgrades like the R.I.P. Tours, a guided tour experience that provides priority V.I.P. access to the haunted houses; Behind the Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tours, a daytime, lights-on tour of the haunted houses that offers a glimpse into how the scares are brought to life; and more. Guests can also save up to $200 on vacation packages, starting at $149 per person, per night (based on a family of four), that include hotel accommodations, tickets to Universal Orlando’s theme parks and one-night admission to Halloween Horror Nights 2021. Universal Orlando hotel guests also receive exclusive benefits, including access to a dedicated entry gate for the event (with valid event admission), complimentary transportation to Universal’s theme parks and Universal CityWalk, and access to an all-new, limited-time “Jack’d Up” experience at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort – where guests get a closer look into the chaotic world of Jack and some of the sinister environments inspired by his past invasions of Halloween Horror Nights. Plus, the hotel’s Swizzle Lounge lobby bar will transform into the “Horror Icons Bar,” featuring specialty beverages and snacks inspired by the event’s most infamous icons, and props and costumes that pay an eerie homage to Halloween Horror Nights past. Additional details about Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood will be revealed soon. For more information and to purchase tickets to Universal Orlando’s event, visit www.Orlando.HalloweenHorrorNights.com. For a deeper history into Jack the Clown, the Universal Orlando Blog published a unique look at this infamous icon... https://blog.universalorlando.com/events/jack-the-clown-at-halloween-horror-nights/ Coulrophobia is defined as having an abnormal fear of clowns. When it comes to Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights (HHN), it’s a fear that has become warranted. If you look back on the history of the event there is one being that has appeared time and again to reign carnage and chaos on its patrons. A being with a malicious face done up with the white and green greasepaint, a red nose, and fiery hair of a clown. This year marks 30 years of fears for HHN at Universal Orlando Resort, making it a twisted celebration of the last three decades of the event. In addition to continuing to bring in some of the biggest names of the horror genre as haunted houses and scare zones, the creative Entertainment teams are also bringing back your favorite original characters and icons, including Jack the Clown. Love him or hate him (like my friend who can’t even look at pictures of him because she dislikes clowns so much), it’s only appropriate that Jack is amongst those returning. After all, he was the first original icon that was created for HHN and has grown to become recognized as the unofficial “face” of the event. I met with two of the minds who have helped mold this infamous persona into what you see today, Senior Director of Creative Development Michael Aiello and James Keaton, the performer who has embodied Jack since the start. To truly celebrate and understand the mayhem of Jack, we’ll rewind and start from the beginning. “What do people fear? What do they want to see, what don’t they want to see?” Michael Aiello begins. “We used to do surveys and we always got fear of spiders, the dark, and clowns. Clowns were always number one. The Art & Design team at the time took that thought and the rest they say is history. But nobody knew Jack would become what Jack is now.” Senior Director of Creative Development Michael Aiello and James Keaton as Jack the Clown in 2015 Jack’s Beginning For 20 years Jack the Clown has been tormenting visitors to Halloween Horror Nights, making his first appearance back in 2000. His full backstory is quite extensive and dark, which hinders me from sharing his whole history, but here’s the abbreviated version. (You can easily do a search online and find the full story if you’d like.) Jack the Clown, Halloween Horror Nights 2010 Jack Schmidt was a carnival performer who was part of a circus troupe led by a gentleman named Dr. Oddfellow. Turns out Jack was a clown with murderous tendencies (shocker), which typically doesn’t bode well for a show that is supposed to make families laugh. Jack confided in Oddfellow about his heinous actions and — long story short — Oddfellow betrayed Jack, murdered him, and kept his body inside a Jack in the Box for years until he was later accidentally released, unleashing something even more evil and diabolically powerful. He exacted vengeance on Oddfellow and then became the ringmaster of his own traveling circus, Carnival of Carnage. On paper, the story of Jack the Clown is evidence enough that our Entertainment team’s interpretation of coulrophobia was going to be successful. But the next challenging step was to bring this original character to life. No small feat considering Universal Studios is known for creating the most iconic monsters in the horror genre. Creating an Icon One of the challenges the Art & Design team had to think through was how to create a scary clown who was different from the clowns guests were seeing in the movies at that time, but still evoked that same uncomfortable and terrifying feeling. You’ve seen them, the clown with the red balloon and a particular comic book villain who fancied purple suits. The first step, design the look. Behind the scenes of Jack the Clown’s makeup process “Physicality was all about that makeup, wig, and the nails,” says James Keaton. “The sculpts started real ornate with big cheekbones and chin and these sharp nails. I always carefully place my hands as I think of them as his killing tools.” Jack’s makeup and wardrobe would change with his various appearances throughout the years; his makeup became more decayed while his wardrobe a little sleeker (more on this later). However, the base look was there with the angular face sculpting matched with the unique coloring of his face paint and wild hair. To complete the look, a set of demonic eyes peered out through the paint while grotesque teeth filled an unnerving grin. “At the time, the teeth kind of dictated some of the speech,” explains Keaton. “I do sort of my own natural nasalness, which kind of became the basis of the voice. And then the laugh was the only thing I really came up with.” OK, guys. If there’s one thing that is the most iconic part of Jack, it’s his laugh. Being able to sit in a room and hear from Keaton how he created it AND THEN perform it for you!? These are the moments my little HHN fangirl heart lives for that I’m sure many of you can relate to. Anyway, back to Keaton… “Most of the time the initial beginning [of the laugh] is like a roar,” Keaton demonstrates. “I always pictured that it was a blast of anger and then it would trickle into a clown laugh. I figured that makes him a little different with more of a beastial, guttural roar.” Now Keaton may say the only thing he really came up with is Jack’s laugh but according to Aiello, he’s just being humble. If you are continuously asked to come back and play a character, there’s more than just a laugh that you’re bringing to the table. Jack the Clown video shoot for Halloween Horror Nights 2006 “The minute you saw him [Keaton] on camera you knew he was Jack,” says Aiello. “When we’re thinking about new backstories and ways to evolve the character, the first thing that pops up is what would James do? How would James react if we put this element in there? There is no other person that can really play Jack the way James plays Jack.” The stage is set. You have the character’s story and look created. The right talented individual has been cast to bring him to life. Jack’s first appearance was a massive success, creating the first of what would become known as the HHN icons. Now the question comes down to how do you continue to grow and evolve a persona fans have come to love without overusing them? “It’s not are you, it’s when?” explains Aiello. “When are you bringing Jack back? What’s he going to do next? We’re never just going to throw him out there and let him do what he does. There’s always a reason and a story to back up why he’s appeared.” The Evolution Jack the Clown returns for Halloween Horror Nights 2021 After his grand debut in 2000, Jack the Clown popped up a few more times, most notably in 2007 when he first invited us to his Carnival of Carnage and in 2015 when he brought his carnival back for the 25th anniversary. For the HHN super fans, yes, I know he has shown up more, but I specifically call out these three years because they are when we see his three stages of evolution thus far: the vengeful clown, the carnival ringmaster, and the demonic rockstar. “In year one of Jack he was just a massively chaotic and creepy clown,” Keaton recalls. “At first, he was just a scary clown, right? I didn’t really find Jack until I was let loose around the streets of downtown [Orlando] that first year.” Keaton shared some hilarious stories from when he stalked innocent pedestrians and, in character, delivered Jack in the Boxes to news media outlets. This included one station that refused to take the box from him and he threw it on the floor, kicked the door open, and ran through the fountain outside of their office before hopping in a van. “I wasn’t intimidated. I wasn’t an actor. I was just pure Jack,” laughs Keaton. “Jack is unpredictable because he wants you to enjoy his show but at the same time he’s debating in his head on how to end you.” As Jack continued to appear at HHN, his story matured going from a scary clown to creating his own carnival troupe with Keaton personifying him every step of the way. The Carnival of Carnage from Halloween Horror Nights 2007 “If you look at the Carnage show in 2007, he was way more into being funny and entertaining because he was still a clown,” explains Keaton. “Then for 2015, the show was much more about how disturbing and cunning he’s become. It wasn’t about the laughs, it was about the fact that the audience is there cheering him on and enjoying it.” “The fun part becomes, OK, so he’s existed, what are the new ways we can present him?” Aiello elaborates. “What are some of the story attributes that we can create that evolve him just enough to show progression without changing or eliminating what people love about the character.” Going back to that thought, Aiello shared that the people’s love for Jack is what truly made 2015 a pivotal story point for the character. First off, his physical appearance changed significantly, donning a new coat (Jack looks great in coats) and overall appearing more aged and decayed — a look that Aiello said took three iterations until they perfected a version that showed a lot more of Keaton’s subtle mannerisms. But the standout difference in 2015 was Jack’s persona shift into what Keaton described as becoming a cult-like leader. Jack the Clown, Halloween Horror Nights 2015 “I [Jack] was more the engine of the show while the audience is the actual brawn,” says Keaton. “I didn’t have to get my hands dirty because they were going to do the work. That’s where the chaos is where I’m smarter than you all and I know it and I can make you want to do the evil deed yourself.” “If he’s had the circus for that long, how would he reinvent himself?” asks Aiello. “The maniacal and murderous qualities are still there, but now there’s the recognition of the showman aspect that he knows you like to watch.” Jack’s Maniacs The Carnage Returns, Halloween Horror Nights 2015 There’s something about Jack that makes you both want to run in the other direction but at the same time sit down and grab a drink with him. Maybe it’s his sadistic yet hilarious jokes that draw people to him or the cool confidence he exudes on the stage amongst the raging chaos, but he’s developed a cult following appropriately named Jack’s Maniacs. “Not only is he maniacal and chaotic, but he is someone you kind of want to hang out with,” chuckles Aiello. “I think that’s one of the most interesting qualities about him that sets him apart from the other icons.” “The fans have been really cool,” Keaton shares. “I’ll meet people like this one couple who said they moved down here because of Horror Nights and I’m just like, ‘Whoa!’ Because to me, it’s a job like the other jobs I do here, but then I hear something like that and it’s rewarding.” The 25th anniversary made Jack’s Maniacs official and at the helm was his first original follower and protege Chance. We were first introduced to Chance back in 2007 when she joined Jack as part of his Carnival of Carnage troupe. And I’d hate to burst your bubble, but there’s nothing romantic about this twisted partnership. Chance alongside Jack during the Carnival of Carnage at Halloween Horror Nights 2007 “My take on it is that it’s much more like I’m a mentor and this is my next protege,” says Keaton. “There’s something demented about her that he relates to and he trained her over the years. You really saw it in 2015 when I leaned on her to run the show.” The following year saw Chance taking the spotlight in a mind-blowing performance, but lurking in the shadows was the lingering presence of Jack and the burning question of when will we see him return? Scrying Jack’s Future “To get real geeky and complex, I look at 30 as sort of a comic book annual,” Aiello explains about this year’s event. “It’s a collection of everything you love about Halloween Horror Nights and celebrating all these original characters and stories.” For those who aren’t familiar with the comic book analogy, an annual is a special extra issue published in a series. A lot of times annuals are out of continuity of the series or sometimes they’re standalone stories, which is a similar case with Jack this year. It’s more of a celebration of this beloved character, so you’ll see all three of his forms pop up throughout the event. Jack the Clown returns for Halloween Horror Nights 2021 “It’s not about the next evolution for him [this year],” Keaton says. “It’s kind of a separate story that’s not part of the ongoing series. So enjoy it, and then when you see him next time, maybe we’ll see what’s next for him.” Maybe he’ll take a long hiatus from his touring carnival or venture over to one of the other Universal parks like he’s done in the past. Keaton and Aiello kicked around some fun story ideas like exploring more about Oddfellow or even his time before he was a clown, diving into his relationship with his brother Eddie, or my personal favorite, baby Jack (probably not even feasible but it’s a pretty funny mental picture!). No matter when or where, it’s a safe bet that he’ll be making a triumphant return at some point. It will always be for a purpose, Aiello promises, whether there’s a new story hook or a way to represent him with a new texture or tone that pervades the rest of the event. “I think there’s an ownership and a love for that character that is gonna keep him alive,” Aiello finishes. “I like when fans come to me and go, ‘you know what you should have done or what you shouldn’t have done?’. We’re simply a caretaker for these characters, and I think the fans are the same way because they love it so much. I’ll never say every idea we do is a great idea, but every idea I can say is done out of love and respect for these characters.” “It’s always fun exploring something new,” Keaton says. “I’m very lucky to have gotten to be this character that has had such a big personality. And with a whole new generation of fans who have never met Jack, it will be fun for them to see him.” Jack the Clown, Halloween Horror Nights 2015

So what was ayone's experience reserving spots on the CW website? I found it rather crazy but the site worked well given the traffic. I signed on just after 8am (which is when it opened) and right away it said I was 22,758th in the queue. It took an hour for my turn to come up. I ended up booking six different days and I think that's the current limit for season pass holders.

I always thought that Banshee rode like absolute ass in the back of the train. I don’t care about “B&M rattle”, this isn’t that, this is like riding on a jackhammer with square wheels and it’s been like that since opening year. I always ride it in the front. Those trains are terrible and that’s weird because old inverts trains were absolute perfection. Why would anyone change them? Other than that I don’t really have strong preferences on anything in that park. Diamondback is great in the back, but it’s fun up front too so try both. Same for Orion and Mystic.

My opinion is you lose some of the drop in the front row while you wait for the rest of the train to crest. Particularly on the Intamins ive been on. Although i found Apollo's Chariot to be better in the front. Could be because of the fake first drop.

They closed their antique car ride so they could use that sizable building as a station/queue and then have the ride run down that empty midway and then go behind the arcade/restaurant.

^ It's the national anthem. Yes, Cedar Point does this. Sea World San Antonio does it too.

Honestly, if they name it anything except "Quimera" or "Chimera," it's a win.

Stopped in for a few hours today. Noticed that the area with Houdini, Tomahawk, and Rodeo has been blocked off. This must’ve happened recently considering I had just ridden Houdini over Memorial Day weekend.

So I could only be at the park until 3 due to evening commitments and they opened Jersey Devil at... Of course, 3. So being the good boyfriend I am I decided to hold off this trip and... Oh, who am I kidding, of course I had to stay and get at least one ride in, plans be damned! I won't go into detail because I don't think I'd be adding anything that hasn't already been said, but yes it is worth the hype. Don't listen to anyone who negatively overreacts because it "isn't the best RMC", or Raptor for that matter. Because if you come from a park that doesn't have an RMC, you would want this ride at your park, and wouldn't be nit-picking. My one word of advice (and I apologize if it's already been mentioned) is to remember it has the same loose article policy as El Toro and Kingda Ka, but the lockers are quite separated from the entrance, they're back next to the funnel cake stand. Quite a few riders got turned away after waiting in line not realizing this. Photos below of test runs, apologies for the sun glare. This is a ride best photographed in the morning for sun angles, but didn't have that luxury today. Also one of the early tests stalled entering the MCBR (pic attached), and barely made the inversions. On a side note, there was a security guard turning people away today from Nitro's entrance if they had loose articles, a-la El Toro style. This is my first time seeing this, and some guests were argumentative (presumably because they know this is a ride that doesn't usually do that). Anyone else know if they've done this before from time to time? My thinking is maybe they had an issue with an on-board rider taking out a phone previously today, but who knows.

After spending two days at CP (Sunday and Monday of this week... with Monday being HORRID with crowds and rides not operating, and staffing issues), we drove to Mason for a Tuesday visit to K.I. our first ever. Having PTSD from previous days, seeing amazing forecast, and seeing early car lines trying to get in before opening... we panicked and purchased FL+. BEST DECISION EVER. We've never been "pay extra to skip the line people" but outside of drop tower, we NEVER waited more than 10 minutes. Got 24 coaster rides in. Never checked online for times. Grabbed our funpix after every ride. Ate a nice off-peak lunch at Miami River by diamond back. Had some nice beer. And closed down the park. The ops were SPECTACULAR. The rides were consistently running. The crowd was fun and engaged. It was our family's best amusement park experience of all time. We'll be back!

You'd be able to see every tourist trap for miles!

We made a quick run to Busch Gardens on Saturday to celebrate my oldest daughter's 2nd grade graduation (really it was just a good excuse for me to take a trip to the park and drag her along), but we ended up have a pretty solid day. Couple comments from the day.... We were able to hit Cheetah Hunt first thing in the morning when it opened up at 10, then got on and off Cobra's Curse and Montu by around 10:40. If you can get there early and be in line for Cheetah Hunt when it opens it's worth it to grab a ride early, but if not I'd suggest heading anywhere else as everything else in the park is probably a walk on for the first hour, and if you're not in line for Cheetah Hunt in the first 10-20 minutes or so after it opens it'll be an hour plus the rest of the day so might as well spend your time somewhere else. I chatted with a supervisor at the rope drop for Cheetah Hunt for a few minutes and she mentioned some of the staffing issues the park is having like everywhere else out there. It wasn't immediately noticeable to me throughout the day as most all of the attractions were running well (except no Skyride which is a bummer), but it was pretty apparent in some areas. Scorpion and Sand Serpent and the rest of the flat rides in that area (except Falcon's Fury) didn't open until 11am, not sure if that's normal or not. Food service was AWFUL, lines for every dining location stretched out the door, and every stand seemed like it had a line 15-20 people deep. I usually don't eat a lot at parks but with an 8 year old it was a little frustrating to not be able to find a drink stand without a 15-20 minute wait. Another thing was odd was that every single on ride photo location was closed, every attraction. Not really that big of a deal even though we've got the unlimited Photo Key thing, just kind of odd to see a revenue stream like that completely unavailable at a packed park in the middle of the summer. If anyone is headed down during the Summer Nights even The Cirque Electric show was a pretty solid surprise. I wasn't expecting much, just wanted to sit down for 45 minutes inside some air conditioning, but it was really fun. Worth checking out for sure. Tigris was my fist Premier Sky Rocket clone, and man that was fun. I don't understand the comfort collars but really didn't notice them during the ride so no big deal, but that thing was a blast, really surprised me. I'd highly recommend quick que but you can still have a pretty solid day without if you get there early/stay late and manage your day well. We got on every major coaster once without quick que with a couple re-rides on Montu, Kumba, and scorpion, plus rides on the rapids, log ride, train and a show. My 8 year old went on every coaster in the park, she was a little hesitant about Sheikra but she rode it and ended up loving it, so proud coaster nerd dad here haha. We're headed to Carowinds next weekend so we'll see if she goes on Fury or not, but all around a solid day even with heat and massive crowds.

Cheetah Hunt: Behind the scenes! 20210612_095056.mp4 20210612_095335.mp4

So what has been the excuse every year prior to this one?

Unless they were to somehow bring back the Arrow Style Suspended Coaster. That sounds like a more accurate description. But unfortunately this isn't 2001.

Agreed, I loved Orion but it definitely left me wanting more. You come out of that helix at the end into a great airtime hill and then right into the brake run. It would've been great to have 2 or 3 of those final airtime hills before the brake run. As for Mystic Timbers, you could make an argument for it being the best coaster in the park. It has so much airtime and is just relentless from start to finish. It's not often that a coaster surprises me like that, but it easily surpassed any expectations I had.

Went to the park yesterday. I would never imagine I'd fall in love with mystic timbers. I was just enamored with how they managed to leave soooo many trees in tact and still fit the ride in. Orion, oooooorion lol. What can I say? I got off it feeling teased. The best parts, to me, were the helix and the hills that followed. I wish more of the ride was like it.