robbalvey

So I just spent the last two days on Batuu - aka - Disneyland's "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge!" I'll have a full report from the media event soon, but for now, as there is a *LOT* to process, let me just leave you with a few things to sink your teeth into...

What do you mean by: Day 8 Recovery and 2/3 Fujikyu Highland {Eejanaika, Fujiyama, DoDodonpa, Haunted Hospital) Day 11 Nagoya, 1/2 Nagashima Spa Land {Steel Dragon, Hakugei, Ultra Twister) Also, the Haunted Hospital closed a couple of years ago.

Anyone?

Aladdin Movie Review! Wish #1 - I wish the live-action movie was as good as the animated film So here's the thing - The live-action movie wasn't "bad" and in fact, I did enjoy it... but something seemed a bit "off" with it. The two leads, Mena Massoud as Aladdin and Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine were actually fantastic and in my opinion, save the movie. It is worth going to see just for these two alone. But what seemed "off" about it? Hmm... It's hard to describe exactly, but the film felt more like a higher-budget Disney Channel movie than it did a theatrical feature film. If you've ever seen some of the more prominent Disney Channel movies like Descendants, High School Musical, etc, it was as though this film started out as being one of those, but then later decided to release it into the theaters. I absoultely enjoyed the fact that the film retained the musical format from the animated film, but I actually wish there would have been more new music written for it. That being said, I found that the one song that was added (live-action film adaptions of either a Broadway musical or a previously released film need a new song to qualify for a "Best Song" Oscar Nomination) "Speechless" seemed lackluster and oddly enough didn't seem to quite fit in. So maybe I don't want to wish for more new music! Wish #2 - I wish that Will Smith could have pulled it off. Again, he wasn't "bad" exactly... but I felt his performance was very underwhelming and in many ways seemed like he was "trying too hard." But let's be honest, he had some big genie shoes to fill, and he just couldn't knock it out of the lamp. There were some moments that worked well, but overall that punch, pizzazz, yahoo and how that the original movie had was missing here and at no point did I feel slack-jawed or buggy-eyed. Genie in this film was just kind of "meh." And what frustrates me about that is having seen the Broadway Musical version of Aladdin, the role of Genie in that show is FANTASTIC! I wish they would have used that version of Genie as a model for this live-action film. Wish #3 - Stop making live-action versions of the Disney Animated Classics! This may be an unpopular opinion based on how well films like Beauty & The Beast and Jungle Book did at the box office, but I have to say that I've been underwhelmed by all of these films. None of them have lived up to their original animated counterparts and if you want to re-make a Disney animated classic, how about doing something like re-animating the film with all of today's animation technology? It's not like we are stuck in the times of early 3D animation of films like Chicken Little, recent films like Moana, Zootopia, Frozen, and Tangled prove that you can make some absolutely BEAUTIFUL films with todays 3D animation capabilities. Take the original audio soundtrack to the animated classic, re-master it, and re-animate it. Could you imagine how insane a nighttime scene from Aladdin like "A Whole New World" would look re-animated with the technology used in a film like Moana? INCREDIBLE! I want credit for this idea if it ever happens! In summary, I wouldn't tell you NOT to go see Aladdin, as I did enjoy it, but adjust your expectations accordingly... or maybe watch it when it comes to the Disney Channel as I feel then it would be a perfect fit!

Hey everyone! As I mentioned earlier this week, we have opened up a limited number of new spots for Club TPR Registration and Renewals. If you need to get your membership card BEFORE some of the upcoming park events, you need to complete your registration or renewal by TOMORROW! Club TPR Home Page: https://www.clubtpr.com/ Thank you to everyone for your support! --Robb Alvey www.themeparkreview.com

Nope. I'm 100% sure that increase is due to idiot people forgetting that five years ago they were mad at SeaWorld for whatever stupid made-up reason they felt was important to them at that time. Now none of it really matters, people have found other things that are "cool to hate", and the parks are doing better. What a shock that people are fickle and stupid, right?

Yeah, I have to be honest, I'm not exactly sure why they felt the need to go with some of those "Six Flags" type of marketing "world's first...North America's first..." etc... To me if they just said "New Harry Potter ride" is pretty much all they needed to get people to show up at the gate...

Agreed. And I've done Verbolten, Thirteen, Darkmare, and Polar X-Plorer and they all felt exactly the same to me.

Yeah. I got to see the test seat but we weren't able to take a photo of it. It basically just looks more like a normal coaster train with "motorcycle theming" around it.

At the moment we have opened up a limited number of Club TPR spots for new members and renewals. If you need a current membership card for upcoming events, you MUST have your registration or renewal by Friday, May 24th to receive your membership cards on time. New members: http://www.clubtpr.com/register.php Renewal members: http://www.clubtpr.com/renewal.php Thank you for your support! --Robb Alvey www.themeparkreview.com

So one of my blogger friends actually asked Universal about Verbolten and this is the response they received: "Verbolten at Busch Gardens Williamsbrug features a drop, but this is achieved through a high speed elevator system — not a true free-fall. So, our statement is still correct." According to Zierer's statement on their Vertical Drop element: "In this specially designed coaster component, rapid velocity and freefalling, two ride sensations of the extreme, will come to a unique peak. With the Vertical Drop Element, the train plunges 5 meters downward of which 2 meters occur in total freefall." http://www.zierer.com/en/products/coasters/vertical-drop-element.html

Last week we were given access to get a "Behind the Wall" preview of Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Universal's Islands of Adventure in Orlando! Here's some off-ride clips of the roller coaster and an interview with the attraction's creative director that we shot: I think Harry Potter fans are going to absolutely LOVE this new attraction as it combines storytelling with some family thrills! We got a chance to walk the queue, see an early version of the pre-show and wander around the outside areas of the coaster. Here's a few of the photos that I shot.... Let's take a look BEHIND this construction wall! Ready to go inside? Last time you'll see the entrance queue looking like this! Here's another look at the castle which serves as the entrance to the attraction. Statues in the courtyard area. Hellooooo unicorns! And of course a ride warning sign! The view that you can get from the top of the castle. And a slightly closer look... Here's some more pics from around the outside queue area.... And the official "Press Release" from Universal Orlando about today's update! UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT CREATES THE MOST THRILLING AND INNOVATIVE COASTER EXPERIENCE YET WITH HAGRID’S MAGICAL CREATURES MOTORBIKE ADVENTURE Immersive Environments, Unparalleled Thrills and Beloved Harry Potter Characters Come to Life on the Epic New “Story Coaster” – Opening June 13 in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade Orlando, Fla. (May 20, 2019) – From rich sets and an actual forest with 1,200 trees to ground-breaking coaster technology and a captivating storyline, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure will be the most highly-themed, immersive coaster experience yet – becoming the world’s first “story coaster.” Epic Thrills Await Within the Forbidden Forest… Get ready to soar into one of the most mysterious places in the Wizarding World – the Forbidden Forest. Aboard magical motorbikes, guests will actually feel the freedom of flight as they journey to the edge of the forest – regardless of if they’re on the motorcycle or in the adjacent sidecar. They’ll ascend above the trees, rapidly accelerate through mysterious ruins, speed forward – and backward, and so much more as they search for the wizarding world’s rarest magical creatures. The “story coaster” will feature innovative technology that is integrated so seamlessly into the surrounding environments, guests won’t know what to expect next. Along the way, they’ll experience thrills they’ve never felt on a coaster before, including: - The most launches of any roller coaster in the world – with 7 total launches - Unexpectedly dropping nearly 17 feet on the first coaster in the U.S. to feature a free-fall vertical drop - Being catapulted 65 feet in the air at a more than 70 degree angle – and then immediately dropping backward in one movement Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure will also be the longest roller coaster in Florida, measuring nearly a mile in length (5,053 feet). Your Adventure Begins When You Enter the Ruins… Before taking off on an exciting journey through the Forbidden Forest, guests will enter ruins which appear to have been abandoned for centuries behind Hagrid’s hut. The ruins were imagined and brought to life by Universal’s award-winning Creative team in collaboration with the Harry Potter films’ Production Designer, Stuart Craig, and Art Director, Alan Gilmore. Hagrid now uses the ruins for groundskeeping at Hogwarts. And this is where guests’ Care of Magical Creatures class will begin. As they make their way to their enchanted motorbikes, guests will see materials from the class, including dragon eggs on the verge of hatching and a makeshift nursery where Hagrid kept his Blast-Ended Skrewts – the creatures that are being brought to life for the first time ever for this epic new adventure. Guests will encounter beloved characters from the Harry Potter films including Arthur Weasley, Hagrid, and his loyal dog, Fang, through a pre-show experience brought to life with digital projection and special effects. During this interaction, guests learn about their impending trip to the Forbidden Forest as part of their lesson for the day. When it opens on June 13, 2019, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure will join the lineup of award-winning entertainment experiences in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando and bring an all-new adventure inspired by J.K. Rowling’s beloved stories to life on an epic new “story coaster.” Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure will be located in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. For more information, visit http://www.UniversalOrlando.com. Mini-Rocket.nltrack

Anyone local to Six Flags Over Texas want to attend the media event for El Diablo on May 28th in the morning? Please email robbalvey@themeparkreview.com if you want to go! You would need to be able to take photos, video, post a trip report and be enthusiastic on camera! Thank you!

What part of new management was missed? What part of me thinking your entire post was stupid was missed? Yes, we read your post. Thought it was dumb. Didn't need for you to re-post it like as though we didn't actually read it. There is a HUGE DIFFERENCE between Visionland closing, which is the only park of its size in the area for miles, and a smaller-sized water park in an area that has similar attractions nearby. I "get" that maybe you just don't know enough about what you're talking about, and that's fine, but please do not treat the people who DO like they are idiots. Thanks.

So by your logic any community without a water park means teens don't have summer jobs and they don't ever go outside? #dumb #stupid #Idiocracy

GOOD! I hope this ends up being the case for the rest of the chain as well...

This roller coaster in Japan has a "Stand Up" train and a "Sit Down" train on the SAME TRACK! We rode them both!

Oh man, that's waaaaay too much thought to put into it. They both rank "somewhere in the middle" and that's all I've got! lol Honestly, I don't take my own rankings that seriously. I basically vote like this: 1. Coasters I really like 2. Coasters I really hate 3. The rest of them Voyage falls into category #2, Raven falls into category #1, and the others you mentioned are "the rest of them."' I've never been one to sit there and dissect a roller coaster into vast pieces of minutia. I ride them and scream like a little girl. Haven't you ever seen our videos??? EDIT: I didn't even know Legend had 'new track' and if I rode it again, I probably wouldn't even notice...

OMG yes! I would love more than anything for RMC to come in and do their work on Voyage! I've probably had at least 10 trips out to Holiday World since Voyage opened, both early in the season and late in the season, including being there being there the week it opened and never once have I had what I would consider a "good" ride on Voyage. I'm sorry, but that ride beats the crap out of you. I don't understand the people who say it is "amazing" because they must just be purely numb in their entire body, and I even have a fairly high tolerance to rough rides, but Voyage is on a different level, not far away from Hades 360 for me. In fact, on my poll, I ranked Voyage just above my "bottom 10" worst roller coasters. Raven still ranks in my "top tier" roller coasters, though. Love that ride!

Anastasia: The New Broadway Musical Review! Last night I got to see the touring production of "Anastasia" at the Dr. Phillips Center here in Orlando... Full disclosure: I was a huge fan of this show on Broadway having seen it several times! Absolutely in my list of "all-time favorite shows!" I went into the touring production knowing that the staging had changed, the song "Crossing a Bridge" was cut, and none of the original Broadway leads would be part of the cast. That being said... The touring production was FANTASTIC!!! While I do miss Christy, John, Ramin, Derek, etc in those lead roles, and IMO the Broadway cast of Anastasia was one of the most "perfect casts" I've ever seen, the talent on stage for this tour was absoultely wonderful, and songs written specifically for the show like "In My Dreams", "The Countess and the Common Man", and "In a Crowd of Thousands" were perfect! As were the numbers imported from the animated film to be included in the Broadway musical. One thing to note - While much of this show is based on the animated movie, this is NOT a "re-telling" of that story. The Broadway musical removed much of the more "kiddy" stuff, in my opinion, and converted that into a more mature and a more "grounded in reality" storyline that appeals a bit more to an older Broadway musical demographic. I am super happy they went this direction! I much prefer the more serious re-telling of the story with things that are relatable rather than include a lot of "magical stuff" that makes no sense in the real world. In fact, the original version of the show that had it's pre-Broadway run in Hartford, included a much more campy and corny "animated movie" version of "Paris Holds the Key (To Your Heart)" and I was very happy to see this changed into a more traditional Broadway number when the show opened in New York. To touch on some of the differences between the Broadway production and the tour - The show in New York and its pre-Broadway stop in Hartford utilized three rotating platforms (turntables) to move set pieces on and off the stage and added a bit more kinetic energy to the show. While those are missing from the tour (I'm sure because they were very complex) the touring version of the show is not really impacted by their removal. (And yes, the train does still rotate during "We'll Go From There.") Also the removal of "Crossing a Bridge" was not impactful either. Anya still has the moment where she's on the bridge, talks about the importance of it, but then sings a short reprise of "Paris Holds The Key (To Your Heart)" and then moves on to the next segment. Honestly, I thought this worked EXTREMELY WELL! (And yes, I was a bit worried!) The rest of the very high-tech and impressive set design is all still there, including a giant LCD screen and two additional screens that display some of the most impressive and high-quality visuals I've ever seen on stage! I walked away from this show feeling very good about it and happy that the audience members for the first time are getting as close to the Broadway experience as they possibly could, and that is wonderful! This has been such a wonderful season at the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando. Such big-ticket shows this season: Hamilton, Hello Dolly, Anastasia, Come From Away, Fiddler on the Roof, Jersey Boys, etc... WOW!!! And the recent announcement of for next season is bringing some of my all-time FAVORITE shows back to Orlando! Miss Saigon and Les Miserables, which I've recently seen the updated productions are FANTASTIC NOT TO BE MISSED! Along with some of my recent favorite Broadway shows Mean Girls, Aladdin, and other classic My Fair Lady, 2019/2020 is going to be another stellar year for Broadway in Orlando! If you are a local to Orlando we highly recommend getting season tickets, or if you are in town for the theme parks, be sure to check their schedule and add a Broadway show to your vacation plans! https://www.drphillipscenter.org/

I think the person who needs to step away from keyboard is you. Step away, go wipe that obnoxious and rude attitude away that nobody here needs, and then come back again. And if you can't do that, just don't come back again. Understood? Good.

And remember, Alan Schilke is not employed by Rocky Mountain, he works for Ride Centerline, which is contracted by RMC to design their coasters. I know the two often get lumped together as the work they do for each other is so close that the difference in companies is transparent, but Alan also still does design work for S&S as well as other companies...

Tennessee Tornado! Always a super fun roller coaster!

It's become more than just our "new favorite" restaurant at Walt Disney World. As a fan of Italian food, it's a "staple" for us now. Between this restaurant, their Via Napoli restaurant at Epcot, and even the Pizza Ponte quick-service pizza location at Springs, I seriously don't really need to eat many other places at WDW! EDIT: And I should mention I cannot wait to get back to their Naples restaurant at Disneyland in California at the end of the month!

Because some roller coaster are just not good!