robbalvey

Holy sh*t, I just now looked at the "Best Shows" category and that may be the absolute worst part of this entire poll. Dollywood is a perfectly respectable #1 assuming we're talking about stage shows and not nighttime shows, but if we're NOT talking about nighttime shows then how the f*ck is Fiesta Texas #2? And even as much as I do like Dollywood's shows, once you've seen shows like Finding Nemo: The Musical or The Lion King at Walt Disney World, I'm sorry, but those are very hard to beat. Even the Frozen Sing-A-Long is by far more entertaining that most other amusement park "shows."

Dude, she already answered your question...

Every time I speak with Joshua Wallack (which was as recently as just a couple of months ago) he tells me that the Skyplex project *IS* still happening, but he's not a guy to rush into multiple projects and he says that "building a multi-billion dollar entertainment complex" doesn't happen overnight. I know he has one project here in Orlando that he is still finishing up, and he had always said that once that project is done (the garage & retail space next to Mango's) then the tower would start. He had also told me in the past that the deal with Intamin was "done" but I don't know exactly what that means. So it's *possible* that this is for that project, or it could also be for some new crazy escalator that Intamin is building. Who knows!

At West Coast Bash someone had asked the question "What was the coolest thing you got to do behind the scenes at a park" and on the spot I couldn't really think of one that came to mind because everything just sort of jumbles together in my head, I mean, I can't even remember what I had for lunch yesterday let alone hand pick a single memory from the past 20 years! lol Anyway, later on I had thought about this really cool moment at Silver Star and realized I had all this footage that I never posted, so here ya go....

It is. He just means that if you didn't base it on mutual riders, you'd have a more skewed outcome based on "popularity" which is what you want to avoid to have a more accurate poll.

I like how the guy going on the ACE trip is coming to us for advice! Like... "No, sorry pal, that's not how it works..."

This sentence right here is not only incredibly truthful but also sends shivers down my spine. This exact behavior is what started to infect our tours in 2010/2011 and it was like a cancer that began to spread as more and more people like this found out about our trips. Was very happy to put a stop to that, though.

Was it this batshit crazy lady who went off on us on Twitter this morning? https://twitter.com/JenniHo/with_replies

Yeah, I can most certainly say this was probably an "opening night anomaly" as I can tell you that I regularly go to HHN after 11pm and will always jump in a line for a house right at park closing, and I've never seen them turn away guests. Even if they have to send team members home, they'll put people through that maze even if there are only three scareactors left! lol So I'm wondering if this was just something different, an unexpected issue, etc. At least they gave you the comp and did the best they could to fix the situation. And thankfully you're understanding enough to know that "opening night" for anything can be filled with longer than normal waits and unexpected issues. Hope that gets resolved though or they will have to start cutting the line off early.

Here's our first video out of Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando from tonight!

That's exactly my point. There's nothing wrong with the beer but if you want a beer that's not fancy and refreshing you can get it for $9 so why would anyone order Stella which is also not fancy and refreshing but is ALWAYS priced as if it's an absolutely amazing craft beer no matter where you buy it. Because... people are stupid?

Do we have anyone interested in covering the Fright Fest media event on Saturday? Please email me at robbalvey@themeparkreview.com ASAP!

Do we have anyone interested in covering the Fright Fest media event on Saturday? Please email me at robbalvey@themeparkreview.com ASAP!

See, and I actually really enjoy Disney Springs. In fact, we are there almost as much as we are at the parks, but then again we also really enjoy a lot of the restaurants and places to hang out there. And I'm one that hardly ever goes to the movies and I've never once seen Cirque at Disney Springs! (It's closed right now anyway!) It's one of my favorite places on property to just go "walk around" later at night. I'm usually there 2-3 days a week not doing anything more than just enjoying its existence!

They have actually been taking care of it. It's not like it has been sitting there rotting away and falling apart. If I had to guess, I'll bet they've known exactly what they were going to do with this ride for a while now, but they've just had to "wait in line" for RMC to become available. Trust me, that structure is fine.

LOL! You really want BGT to get another GCI?!?!? Seriously??? Actually, thinking about it, if it leads to an eventual second RMC maybe that's not that bad of thinking after all!

Best part about 150+ ACERS on a bus trip in Japan? WE'RE NOT THERE AND IT'S NOT OUR PROBLEM!!!!

ACE has no business planning trips. They are horrible at it, they aren't qualified to do it, and the "tour" product they sell is the absolute WORST of anyone who does it. In fact the WHOLE REASON why we got into doing tours in the first place was after a few years of doing tours and events with ACE we kept thinking "OMG, this is so easy to do right, and how do the manage to fu*k it up so badly every time??!!" So that's why we started doing it. Of course, part of the problem was that the word got out that we were actually able to do a decent job at putting together a tour (honestly, a box of partially deformed brainless chickens could do a better job planning events and tours than ACE) and we ended up with quite a few ACE members on our trips that started to impact the tours for everyone else because they were just such terrible humans in every way that they made it an unpleasant experience for the rest of the group. That's one of the reasons we do them privately now. I won't let a few bad apples (read: ACErs) ruin our trips for the decent people that appreciate the hard work that goes into them. I'll be honest, we're not even "travel experts" we're just not idiots when it comes to planning and putting together a trip. It was honestly SHOCKING to me just how poorly planned and operated some of the events and tours we did with ACE were. You always have a plan B. Sometimes even a plan C. And the other difference between TPR and ACE is that we aren't afraid to spend extra money when we need to. ACE is such a greedy pathetic organization that if there is something that needs to have money thrown at it to resolve a problem, they won't do it, and sometimes you just have to. People are paying a very high price for these trips, and it is expected that you go out of your way to make things right. ACE has no concept on how that works. Probably out of their own greed or lack of know-how. Probably both. In case you couldn't tell, I have very little respect for what ACE does... but I'm VERY thankful they are around!

Shouldn't that be illegal somehow? Embezzlement or some other such nonsense? Nope, that's totally legal. Unethical and wrong, but that's ACE for you. It's a completely shady "non profit" business filled with IMO absoultely shady people behind it. I have so many stories from over the years. All I can say is that I'm much happier with the way we do things and the best part of about ACE is that it gives a home to those horrible people we don't want on TPR. And they stick out like a sore thumb at our events. This weekend at WCB you could **EASILY** tell the people who were more "ACErs" than TPR members.

Yep, I totally went there!

I have always felt that Busch Gardens Tampa has one of the best "quality over quantity" coaster line ups in the US if not even the world. There is not a single bad coaster in the mix, and in fact, when they removed Gwazi, even replaced with nothing, it actually IMPROVED the overall quality of their rides. Both of these two rides will be fantastic and when I look at what they will have available.... Kumba Montu SheiKra Cheetah Hunt Scorpion Cobra's Curse Tigris Future RMC That list is looking amazing! Then throw in Falcon's Fury on top of it! I mean, when the WORST roller coaster they have is a totally non-offensive, actually very fun Mack Wild Mouse or the kiddie coaster that is a VERY strong line-up of rides!

First post updated with the official press released, images, and the video we shot today with a short interview. Enjoy!

Well, to be fair, I for one know how much it costs to do a Japan trip and we usually charge over $3k per person... But our trip also includes on property stays at higher end hotels at places like Disney and Universal. Express passes at all the parks that provide them. Quite a few meals included. All internal transportation (usually a Japanese Rail Pass or internal flights if needed). And as much ERT as the parks will allow us to purchase. Oh, and our prices are usually that much because our Japan trips are usually about 14-17 days and we are only amortizing costs across about 35-40 people because we aren't stupid enough to do a trip to Japan with 150 people. Does ACE provide that same level of accommodations and perks for a similar length of time, because if not, that's an expensive trip and it would be really interesting to see where that money is going.

That is EXACTLY it! While I agree that Knoebels does have the best "amusement park food" if you are singling out just one park, you have to give it to Epcot. There is simply NO QUESTION. Even just with some of their World Showcase restaurants: Le Cellier Steakhouse, Monsieur Paul, Tutto Italia, Via Napoli, Teppan Edo, Spice Road Table, and not even mentioning some of the festivals throughout the year: Food & Wine, Flower & Garden, etc, there is simply no contest and anyone who would say differently I would seriously have to question if they know what food actually is. This is why there should be two categories. One for "amusement park" food and one for "theme park" food. But they aren't going do that because: 1. Golden Tickets are stupid. 2. Disney isn't going to give the Golden Tikcets any more attention so why do the extra work to give Disney more attention? 3. There are probably quite a lot of people who vote that just aren't sophisticated enough or probably can even afford to go and dine Epcot. (Trust me, I've seen some of the people who they have voting in that poll, it's frightening!) Just being honest, but I highly doubt that most of the voters for the Golden Tickets are going to spring for a meal at Le Cellier or Monsieur Paul but will most certainly buy a cheese on a stick at Knoebels. And besides, Epcot doesn't even have a roller coaster and I cannot tell you how many ACE members I've heard say "I'm not going to that park because it doesn't have a coaster." #dumb And there is nothing wrong with the cheese on a stick at Knoebels, I love it myself and I would vote for it in a heartbeat in the best amusement park category, but you simply cannot compare it, and it would actually be unfair to compare it to the Epcot offerings because Epcot should win every time. But for some reason the Golden Tickets won't really acknowledge Disney and I can probably give you one guess as to why....