robbalvey

Oh, make no mistake about it, Amusement Today and the Golden Tickets have IMO some seriously shady business going on there. The fact that they have some weird connections with ACE, who absoultely DO NOT represent your average theme park guest in any way at all, and then also seem to play favorites to certain companies that either support Amusement Today with advertising dollars or other benefits, just shows how broken that whole system and organization is. As someone already pointed out, the parks that either have just completed a recent ACE convention or the parks that host or have recently hosted the Golden Tickets always seem to get extra "pats on the back" when it comes to the winners or their placement in the top rankings. This is not a legit awards by any stretch of the imagination and should not be taken seriously by anyone. It's just a shame that these have become the face of the industry as far as any awards go, mainly due to lack of anyone else willing to step in. We really should consider changing that and show the world how it should be done. Maybe that will also expose some of the shady practices going on here as well... Hmmm....

Let's be honest here, if we really wanted to, we could widely promote the TPR Poll and give the Golden Ticket Awards some serious competition. I mean, it's not like Amusement Today knows how to do social media and even get the word out about their awards beyond what the parks do. I made a post about a cookie yesterday that got waaaay more engagement that most of the Amusement Today Golden Ticket posts on social media... (and the cookie post was even roller coaster related!) The only reason why any of the Golden Ticket posts got any engagement at all is when the parks shared them. Otherwise, they seem to really not have much of an audience on social media. At some point they are going to need to learn "print is dead" and all of their stories are old news by the time the newspaper hits circulation.

I would give my same breakdown and rant as I've given in the past about why I feel these awards are so dated and so not relevant in any way, but I won't. I just wish that "Amusement" today would at least either acknowledge that they are giving awards to only "amusement" parks and remove any of the awards they are giving to "theme" parks or at least split the categories of "Best Amusement Park ......" and "Best Theme Park ...." because Disney SHOULD be winning in almost all of those categories but they seem to ignore the fact that Disney is around, other than in the "dark ride" category and the one ride they chose isn't even really a "dark ride" to begin with. I have heard from so many people I know in the industry that the main reason why they go is for the party and the social atmosphere that happens outside of the awards, but they feel the awards themselves are stupid. And to be honest, they don't have to be. They could actually be legitimate, respectable awards, and I actually think it would probably be the same amount of work to produce a respectable list as it is to produce this, but for whatever reason they just don't want to.

I see what you did there.

You are VERY welcome!

Agreed. Saying you're a respected carny is like saying you're the tallest dwarf. While I very rarely ride these types of attractions, I always pick and choose very carefully any ride I will board at any US carnival or fairground because I simply do not think that any of them are remotely "respectable" in any way.

Here is the 2018 update for Haunted Mansion Holiday...

If you want to get there by 7:30 am on Sunday, it should take about one hour up the 5. I would leave around 6:19 AM exactly! I would allow 90 minutes. I-5 can have some unpredictable traffic and you never know about random construction or accidents. IMO it's always better to be 30 minutes early than 5 minutes late...

I can only take so much...

Here's a "first look" at the new Stranger Things Maze coming to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood, Orlando, and Singapore... Universal City, CA, September 5, 2018 – Universal Studios reveals first look images from the “Stranger Things” haunted mazes coming to “Halloween Horror Nights” 2018. For the first time ever, Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Singapore are partnering with Netflix to bring “Stranger Things” to life at their “Halloween Horror Nights" events. Each park will feature its very own maze that will give guests the chance to brave the Upside Down and encounter iconic scenes, characters and environments from season one of the critically-acclaimed series. The images showcase some of the eerily-authentic environments guests will encounter at “Halloween Horror Nights” 2018 – including the Byers’ living room adorned with an erratic display of flashing Christmas lights, Hawkins National Laboratory in the Upside Down, Will’s makeshift fort called Castle Byers and more. “Halloween Horror Nights” begins Friday, September 14 in Hollywood and Orlando, and on Thursday, September 27 in Singapore. Tickets and vacation packages are on sale now. For more information about “Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Orlando Resort or Universal Studios Singapore, visit http://www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com [fbvideonew] [/fbvideonew]

Here's a "first look" at the new Stranger Things Maze coming to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood, Orlando, and Singapore... Universal City, CA, September 5, 2018 – Universal Studios reveals first look images from the “Stranger Things” haunted mazes coming to “Halloween Horror Nights” 2018. For the first time ever, Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Singapore are partnering with Netflix to bring “Stranger Things” to life at their “Halloween Horror Nights" events. Each park will feature its very own maze that will give guests the chance to brave the Upside Down and encounter iconic scenes, characters and environments from season one of the critically-acclaimed series. The images showcase some of the eerily-authentic environments guests will encounter at “Halloween Horror Nights” 2018 – including the Byers’ living room adorned with an erratic display of flashing Christmas lights, Hawkins National Laboratory in the Upside Down, Will’s makeshift fort called Castle Byers and more. “Halloween Horror Nights” begins Friday, September 14 in Hollywood and Orlando, and on Thursday, September 27 in Singapore. Tickets and vacation packages are on sale now. For more information about “Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Orlando Resort or Universal Studios Singapore, visit http://www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com. [fbvideonew] [/fbvideonew]

wake up earlier. Agreed. Look dude, I don't know if we will still have them or not. We will probably have shirts, but very few sizes and I will probably have to hunt you down in the park somewhere to bring you one and I'm not sure that is something I will have a lot of time to do. Please don't make your problem become my problem just because you can't get out of bed and leave earlier. If I can make it from Orlando in time for check in, you can make it from San Diego.

The Big Bad West Coast Bash email has gone out! Check your email inbox!

Man, there is some funny shit being posted on these threads today! I think there just is a fairly high contingent of people who are getting really sick of all the stupidity happening in the world right now which, unfortunately, spilling over into our forums more and more lately. And we can either: A. Sit back, do nothing about it and cry ourselves to sleep a little more each night. B. Be angry and mean about it. C. Poke fun at the people with our own brand of mean-spirited humor and at least TRY to laugh at the whole thing, because if we didn't we probably would end up doing B... and then the second part of A...

First of all, I'm trying to make sense of why this poll exists when none of these rides are open and absoultely no one can give an accurate opinion on which one is best because no one has ridden them... Secondly, I'm trying to make sense of why Copperhead Strike is in the lead when, on paper is probably the weakest of the three rides, most certainly weaker than Maxx Force. Did people miss that Copperhead Strikes launched 0-42 MPH? Where Maxx Force and Racers is 78MPH and 55MPH? If you're making a hypothetical pointless poll about the best 2019 launch coasters, shouldn't that award automatically go to the one with the "best launch?" But yet people seem to have voted mostly for the ride with the weakest launch?!?!? Again, this is why so many things in the world don't make any sense to me...

You're very welcome! I'm sure you'll be fine with your bag but we've had incidents where all of a sudden, based on a number of random things, we've had to put stuff away. And it's not a huge deal, I just always like to tell people to be prepared just in case. Have a few extra singles or a credit card handy, etc...

My thoughts exactly. I'm actually VERY HAPPY you posted this report because after being at Knoebels again this year we thought about our options for spending time "on property" there and we are just not "outdoorsy" camping people at all so staying at the campground is out of the question, and sadly that cabin would be outside of my comfort zone as well. We really would love to do more of an extended stay at Knoebels, and I'm really hoping that someday Knoebels builds something more like what Cedar Point has with their Lighthouse Point cabins. Nice, newer accommodations that feel more like a more modern hotel, but in a small cabin with a fire pit! That's more my idea of "roughing it!"

I spent yesterday at Knott's, and carried a backpack with me. All the coasters have bins off to the side, in which my backpack fit easily. You should have no problem with not getting a fluffy, fluffy bunny filled with medicine and goo. Again, since this is my thread and my event, I will tell you that you should always "be prepared" to have to put a bag in a locker JUST IN CASE. People's experiences may vary. One day at Steel Vengeance people were able to bring their phones in line, the next day they were not.

West Coast Bash is sold out.

Cedar Fair have changed locker policies in the past two years. You should be fine with your bag, but I would "be prepared" to get a locker if for whatever reason you are asked to.

The ERT will before and after park hours. Check in will be about two hours prior to the park's normal opening time. I'll be sending out an email on Wednesday or Thursday with all the final information and event schedule to everyone! Hope you enjoy your first WCB!

We are down to the last few tickets left for West Coast Bash! The event is next weekend at Knott's Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain. Get these tickets ASAP! The event WILL SELL OUT by tonight! Tickets: http://www.westcoastbash.com

Thanks.

Maybe next year we just won't do the event at all if people are going to bitch it. I wasn't bitching about it. Using the word "sucks" and responding in a thread about someone's event sure makes it sounds like you were complaining. How else was I supposed to take that? I mean, if I went to McDonalds and said: "Sucks that you guys are out of Szechuan sauce" Wouldn't the employee that I said that to think I'm complaining about McDonalds? Do you understand now why it sounded like you were bitching?

At least with an Uber driver, if it turns out they end up being a bit on the odd side, they drop you off and drive away. And not to say that all of our West Coast Bash people are "odd" (well, maybe I am...) but there are most certainly some people I don't mind sharing a ride on a coaster with... but maybe not a full car ride...