larrygator

The drive from Cedar Point to Kings Island is a huge drag after a full day at Cedar Point. When I was in my 20's and 30's or when I had a second driver it was easier. So I would plan not to be at Kings Island at opening and to plan for FastLane, and coasterbill's advice about hitting up Kings Island for Early Entry on a second day before heading to Kentucky Kingdom fits into this strategy. Of all the parks you mentioned Six Flags America and Dorney Park are the ones with the least memorable coasters. Any type of coaster at those parks you will be able to find a better type at another park you are visiting. Superman at SFA might be the only coaster at the those two parks that you might consider riding more than once. Joker's Jinx looks unique, but it is the same exact layout as Flight of Fear (at Kings Dominion and Kings Island). Therefore, you can spend less time at these parks. As coasterbill stated Kentucky Kingdom has two phenomenal coasters but you also don't need more than 3-4 hours at the park The volume and variety of coasters at Great Adventure, Hersheypark, Cedar Point and Kings Island make them whole day parks. Knoebels, Kennywood and Dollywood can also easily be full day parks because there is so much to do at these parks outside of the coasters. Hersheypark and Dollywood also offer preview plans where you can sample the parks for a few hours the night before your day visit to the park.

Were those pictures taken in the village of Oberammergau? I'm asking because the photo of the alpine coaster mentions Oberammergau and that first grand building looks like Linderhof Palace. That is one of my bucket list places to visit.

A nice recap of Matt Ouimet's accomplishemts as he hands the reigns to Richard Zimmerman, since we heard about the Cedar Point boardwalk a few days ago, the only new info in the article is the expectation that Winterfest will be at Canada's Wonderland in 2019. http://www.cleveland.com/travel/index.ssf/2017/10/outgoing_incoming_cedar_fair_c.html Outgoing, incoming Cedar Fair CEOs talk coasters, hotels and hiring Updated on October 22, 2017 at 8:23 AM Posted on October 22, 2017 at 8:07 AM By Susan Glaser, The Plain Dealer sglaser@plaind.com SANDUSKY, Ohio - In his six years at the helm of Cedar Fair, outgoing CEO Matt Ouimet has overseen the development of record-breaking roller coasters and record-breaking revenue. But ask him about his tenure and he doesn't mention rides or money. Instead, he talks about the revitalized Cedar Point beach, renovated Hotel Breakers, the Sports Force Parks at Cedar Point Sports Center and expansion of the Cedar Point Shores waterpark. When he was hired in 2011, the country -- and the company -- were still recovering from a devastating recession. "It was a tough time in the economy, and particularly for Cedar Fair," he said. "We were having some trouble trying to figure out what we wanted to do when we grew up." Safe to say they figured it out: Six years later, the company's flagship park in Sandusky is the centerpiece of a burgeoning resort destination, with a newly expanded waterpark, ferry service to nearby islands, nightly beach activities and more. Coming in 2018: An expanded beach boardwalk that will link the park's main parking lot to the beach, Hotel Breakers and Cedar Point Shores. For the first time, according to Ouimet, the park will market itself beyond its core base of Ohio and Michigan, trying to pull guests from Chicago and beyond. "The changes we've made at Cedar Point will last for decades," said Ouimet, 59, who announced earlier this month that he was stepping down as CEO in January and will return to southern California, where he previously worked as president of Disneyland. He said he is not seeking another full-time job. Ouimet will be succeeded by Richard Zimmerman, current Cedar Fair president and chief operating officer. The two recently answered a few questions at the company's executive offices on the Cedar Point peninsula. Among the topics of conversation: labor force challenges, the success of Fast Lane, WinterFest, shuttered Geauga Lake and the company's relationship with Sandusky. Zimmerman was the head of Kings Dominion in Virginia when Cedar Fair bought Paramount Parks in 2006. "I've been in the live entertainment biz for forever and a day," he said. "That's what gets me up in the morning." He will continue to be based out of Cedar Fair's corporate offices in Charlotte, home of Carowinds amusement park. Ouimet, meanwhile, will continue to play an active role in Cedar Fair's future, filling the new position of executive chairman of the board. "A critical part of my legacy is creating an organization that would thrive after I left," he said. "I think the organization is ready and I'm ready." During Ouimet's tenure, the company - owner of 11 parks, three waterparks and five hotels - saw the value of investor shares nearly triple. The company also posted consecutive years of record revenue and attendance. Chief among Ouimet's achievements, according to industry analyst Jeffrey Thomison, with Hilliard Lyons in Kentucky: Improvements made to the Cedar Point property - including a $50 million renovation to Hotel Breakers - that encourage families to stay on-property longer. "Not only does the park have some major new thrill attractions, but the resort itself has undergone some major improvements," he said. Thomison said he doesn't expect dramatic change under Zimmerman. "Primarily because the new chairman and the new CEO aren't new to the company - they already make a good team," he said. Commitment to the region Sandusky City Manager Eric Wobser praised Ouimet's commitment to the region - citing his advocacy for a healthier Lake Erie; support of a local tax increase in 2014; and ongoing work to develop a hospitality program with Bowling Green State University. Wobser said he had no doubt Zimmerman would maintain that same commitment: "We see them continuing to make significant investments in and outside the park that show how committed they are." Cedar Fair and several regional partners, including the city and Erie County, recently finalized a deal to develop an indoor sports complex just east of Cedar Point. Expected to open in 2019, it will be adjacent to the outdoor facility, Sports Force Parks, which opened earlier this year on the site of an abandoned airport. Zimmerman credited Ouimet's history with Disney company - and that company's successful Wide World of Sports - for the idea. "We will continue to look at other parks for opportunities," said Zimmerman. "This kind of tourism is happening. We can make sure it happens near us." Promoting Ohio Ouimet has also been a strong advocate for tourism more broadly, urging state leaders to increase the marketing of Ohio, bringing it closer to what neighboring states, including Michigan, spend. Lawmakers, several years ago, did increase funding for tourism promotion in Ohio, but Ouimet says more could be done. "We'll continue to make that argument," he said. "I think there remains great opportunity. I have learned over time that you have to be more patient when it comes to the government driving certain initiatives." Hiring challenges Ouimet also has been involved in lobbying for a change in state law that would encourage school districts to start classes after Labor Day -- a change that would make it easier to staff Cedar Point and Kings Island late in the summer. He pointed out that Kings Island is forced to close during the week in late August, in part because so many employees leave to return to school. Ouimet also commented on possible changes in the U.S. State Department's J-1 Visa program, which allows college students from overseas to come to the U.S. to work for the summer. Cedar Point employs thousands of workers every year through the program. Ouimet said lawmakers may need to be educated about the benefits of the program. "I get concerned that it's one of those things that politically could be discussed as a negative," he said. "But I think when people sort through it - they'll see it drives the economy, it doesn't hurt the economy." Zimmerman added that the parks have gotten creative about labor challenges, particularly during the shoulder season, when many parks, including Cedar Point, see their biggest crowds of the year. The company is experimenting with technology to reduce the number of workers required during non-summer months. A new haunted maze at Knott's Berry Farm in southern California, for example, uses interactive technology - and requires only two workers. Extending the park season Another Ouimet initiative: WinterFest, the holiday-themed festival, with rides and entertainment, which debuted last year at California's Great America. This year, WinterFest will expand to three more parks, including Kings Island near Cincinnati. And next year, look for it at Canada's Wonderland in Ontario. What about Cedar Point? "That's the big debate," said Zimmerman. "We're trying to figure out exactly how that would work." Finally, on Geauga Lake: * It was Ouimet's predecessor, Dick Kinzel, who made the decision to shutter Geauga Lake in 2007, three years after Cedar Fair purchased the historic Aurora amusement park. Ouimet, however, closed Wildwater Kingdom, the adjacent outdoor water park on the site of Sea World, in 2016. "If you don't make difficult decisions, you put a company in jeopardy," he said. He did say he regrets that the land hasn't been developed more quickly. "It's proven harder than it should have," he said. And Fast Lane: * It was Ouimet's team that developed Fast Lane, the controversial pass that allows park goers to skip long lines at top attractions for an extra fee. Said Ouimet: "It took me a while to warm up to it. " But he said it's the revenue from the pass that allows Cedar Point and other parks to continue to build bigger and better rides. "You have to realize that those people are paying for Steel Vengeance," he said, referencing the massive new roller coaster that is under construction at Cedar Point. The coaster - a major, much-anticipated remake of the ride formerly known as Mean Streak - will debut in May. It will be one of four new coasters at Cedar Fair parks in 2018 - a final parting gift from Ouimet, and the beginning of the Zimmerman era.

Love the matching Charlie Brown shirts.

Besides getting croquettas at stand near Furius Baco those are the only other places I ate at years ago so it sounds like the food has gone downhill.

Let me guess, you only ate the "American food". I hope the food hasn't gone completely downhill over the past 8 years. I thought Port Aventura had a very good selection of quality items.

Wood

Donley's Wild West Town is much nicer than the Six Gun City.

Now that's interesting! I haven't this about Bizarro in years.

Sorry folks the first two weeks of the school year were pretty hectic, but now I have time to continue my report. I had a whole day in Chicago to do as I pleased as I built in an extra day in case I got rained out at any large park. This was my third trip to Chicago for coasters and I had only gone to two or three small parks or FECs in the past, and none of those exist anymore. So I spent the day driving around Chicagoland picking up missing credits. But first I had to visit the largest of those parks Donley's Wild West Town and Santa's Village Azoosement Park. Donley's Wild West Town has a nice Wild West Museum along with other rooms devoted to Americana including a huge collection of Thomas Edison inventions. I'm a history guy so I loved this part. Back in 2016 the park was up was sale for $7 million with an ad in Hammacher Schlemmer catalog. The park founder is in his 80's and continues to run the park until he can find a buyer who will maintain it as a park and museum. The actual theme park is more about activities and experiences than rides for the 3-12 year old. Besides seeing old buildings you can learn to throw a tomahawk, pan for gold, paddle a canoe, rope a cow, shoot a bow and arrow, ride a pony and fire a slingshot. And of course there is a traditional corny Wild West Stunt Show. More on Santa's Village, later Donley's Wild West Town You enter the park through the gift shop and go straight into the museum Of course I was drawn to the Wild West gaming paraphernalia I guess that's the result of visiting too many casinos and staying at Harrah's in Joliet during this trip. Outside of the Wild West items they have a huge collection of Thomas Edison pieces Including many products I did not know Edison dabbled with such as cement. and there were themed time period rooms, such as these early 20th century instruments and an automotive garage Here is a poster listing all the activities. My favorite was the tomahawk throw, even though I also hit the target, I could not get it to stick. Large play area for kids Lots of cowboys roaming around running the rides Too big for the ponies and the hand cars Ka-ching, I don't mind paying for a park like this (versus an FEC). You can tell the owner put his heart and could into this place and all the kids were enjoying themselves outside. Corny stunt shows with puns are always worth the time. Besides the slingshot range, you could purchase them. and a target This could be interesting Not interesting, just punny

^I moved your post to this thread.

http://www.thedailynewsonline.com/bdn01/darien-lake-keeps-next-ride-a-secret-for-now-20171006 Darien Lake keeps next ride a secret, for now By JIM KRENCIK JKRENCIK@BATAVIANEWS.COM FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2017 AT 5:15 AM DARIEN — A new attraction is coming to Darien Lake, but the mystery and excitement that builds while in line for a roller coaster is accompanying the project. Darien Lake General Manager Chris Thorpe told the Genesee County Economic Development Center Thursday that the theme park is “purposefully not disclosing what the ride will be at this time,” citing the need for it to be approved within the company and with the Town of Darien. “It’s very hard for me to not come out of my skin in excitement, to talk about what we want to do,” Thorpe said. “We believe this ride, and the investment level into its size, scope and family thrill level will entice families from all over the northeast and into southern Ontario and Canada. People will reap the rewards of visiting Darien Lake and see what Genesee County has to offer.” The ride will be Darien Lake’s first major investment since the RipCurl Racer waterslide in 2016. Thorpe said the project will invest roughly $5 million within the current footprint of the park and be operational by 2018. “It’s in a spot dedicated for expansion,” Thorpe said. Darien Lake Holdings LLC is requesting a $360,000 sales tax exemption from Genesee County to support the tourism project. GCEDC’s board accepted an initial resolution for the incentives, and is on track to act on the proposal later this year. As for Darien Lake, Thorpe said the 2017 season — which ended last weekend — was one of challenges met. Park attendance has been relatively consistent in the past three years, but 2017 showed the power of both the weather and market trends. Out of 110 operating days, 46 were compromised by rain. “It was amazing,” Thorpe said. “While we adjusted to that weather, and that dynamic with promotional programs that stimulated the market and drove our attendance, what we recognized were some categorical shifts that indicated we were losing ground in the outer markets — we were real good at mining attendance from locally, but further away it impacted us.” Darien Lake’s campground and hotel ventures are facing a shorter window of consumer decisions, Thorpe said. Instead of booking a vacation well in advance, consumers are making their choices with less than two weeks until their planned stays. “People hunt around, waiting to see what the weekend will be like,” he said.

Although their whip does nothing for for I completely agree with the rest. And sometimes it's nice to just go somewhere for a few hours away from the crowds.

Just like we did for 2011 - 2017 this thread will serve as a place to house a list of "what's new" for 2018 at major parks and links to the announcements. We encourage you to notify us of any new rides/coasters by posting in this thread. Discussions about individual rides and parks should continue in the appropriate discussion thread through the links in this thread. Rumors will not be included. We also don't plan to list every random out of the way upcoming attraction, so outside of major announcements this is limited to parks TPR has covered (or will likely cover in the future) in the Park Index. New Parks for 2018 Adventure Island - Doha, Qatar Ankapark - Ankara, Turkey - 17 coasters Dreamworks Theme Park - Moscow, Russia Mirabilandia - Paulista, Brazil - 2 coasters Parc Spirou - Monteaux, Cote d'Azur, France - 3 coasters Robotland Theme Park - Incheon, South Korea - a coaster VinPearl Land - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - 3 coasters Warner Bros World - Abu Dhabi - 2 coasters Colourful Yunnan Happy World - Jinning, Kunming, Yunnan, China - 4 coasters New rides/attractions for 2018 USA/Canada/Mexico Adventureland (Iowa) - Bernie's Barnyard dedicated kiddie area Adventureland (NY) - new two-story suspended track dark ride (replaces Geister Ricksha) Bay Beach - 2nd train loop to be added Busch Gardens Williamsburg - Battle of Eire (simulator) California's Great America - Railblazer (RMC single rail coaster) Canobie Lake - Tidal River - the start of a water park Canada's Wonderland - Lumberjack (major flat) along Flying Canoes (family ride) and Splash Area expansion Carowinds - Planet Snoopy expansion Cedar Point - Steel Vengeance (RMC) conversion of Mean Streak Darien Lake - Tantrum - Gerstlauer Euro Fighter to replace their log flume Edaville USA - Kersplash (from Puyallup Fair, delayed from 2016) Great Escape - Complete Pandemonium Hersheypark - Waterpark additions include Whitecap Racers and Breaker's Edge water coaster Kentucky Kingdom - Scream Xtreme (Zamperla Endeavor) Kings Dominion -Twisted Timbers (RMC conversion of Hurler) Knotts Berry Farm - HangTime (Gerstlauer dive coaster) La Ronde - Carnaval en Folie (3 flat rides) Trosade (Tilt-a-Whirl), Petit Roue (mini Ferris Wheel) and Tourbillon Legoland California - Deep Sea Adventure, a second hotel Legoland Florida - Project X coaster gets VR headsets to become The Great Lego Race Magic Springs - Brain Drain, a 12 story Larson ARM drop tower Morey Piers - Wild Whizzer (SBF Visa spinner) Oaks Amusement Park - Gerstlauer Eurofighter Palace Playland - Sea Viper (70 foot coaster from an Italian manufacturer) to replace Galaxi Quassy - 3 new water raft rides Sea World Orlando - Infinity Falls (rapids ride) Sea World San Antonio - Six lane Taumata Racer for Aquatica Sea World San Diego - Electric Eel (Premier SkyRocket II) Sesame Place - Oscar's Wacky Taxi (Gravity Group woodie) Silver Dollar City - Time Traveler (Mack spinning coaster) Six Flags America - Wahoo River (longer, wider, more using friendly) to replace Castaway Creek in the waterpark Six Flags Discovery Kingdom - Harley Quinn Crazy Coaster (Skyline Attractions' Skywarp) Six Flags Fiesta Texas - Wonder Woman's Golden Lasso Coaster (RMC single rail) Six Flags over Georgia - Twisted Cyclone (RMC) replaces Georgia Cyclione Six Flags Great America - 100 ft Larson Super Loop) Six Flags Great Adventure -Cyborg Cyber Spin (from ABC rides) Six Flags Magic Mountain -CraZanity (Giant Discovery) Six Flags Mexico - Wonder Woman Coaster (S&S Fre Spin) Six Flags New England - Harley Quinn Spinsanity (Giant Discovery) Six Flags St. Louis - Typhoon Twister (4-person water slide with whirlpool bowl) Six Flags over Texas - Harley Quinn Spinsanity (from ABC Enigineering's Tourbillon) announced for 2018 Valleyfair - Delirious (Larson Super Loop) Waldameer - Samba Balloon Ride and Cannonball tube slide for waterpark WDW Disney's Hollywood Studios - Toy Story Land opening with Slinky Dog Dash Coaster and Alien Swirling Saucers Worlds of Fun - Nordic Chaser (family flat ride) Europe Alton Towers - Wicker Man: GCI wooden coaster Blackpool Pleasure Beach - Icon (Mack coaster) Blackpool South Pier - Wild Mouse Connyland - 184 foot catapult tower Djurs Sommerland - 3 family rides, including a Zierer kiddie coaster Energylandia - Hyperion - an Intamin Hyper and an Intamin Water Coaster EuropaPark - Eurosat 2.0 Ferrari Land - Five family/kiddie rides including a Zierer Speedy Coaster Furuvik - interactive dark ride Hansa Park - Barcos Del Mar (Apollo Swing ride from Technical Park) Holiday Park - new indoor area with Zierer coaster Jardin d'Acclimation - conversion to a steampunk theme including 17 new rides/attractions Legendia - Bazyliszek (interactive dark ride) Legoland Billund - Flyvende Ørn (Zierer family coaster) Legoland Germany - Project X coaster gets VR headsets to become The Great Lego Race Le Pal - Yukon Quad - Intamin family launch coaster Liseberg - Valkyria (B&M dive coaster) Parc Saint Paul - Wood Express (GCI woodie) Paultons Park - Big Peppa Pig expansion with The Queen's Flying Coach (Monorail) and Grumpy Rabbits Sailing Club (boat ride) Toverland - new themed area Avalon, will include Fenix (B&M Wing Coaster) and a boat ride Walibi Belgium - new themed Hawaii area, including a family coaster Asia/Australia Aussie World - 5 new rides: Drop Tower (40m), Air Race (Zamperla), WindstarZ (Zamperla), Star Fly (Zamperla 40m Vertical Swing) and Aerobat (Technical Park Aerobat). Happy Valley Beijing - 2 B&Ms: Family Roller Coaster and Music Roller Coaster Happy Valley Szenzhen - a shuttle coaster Hong Kong Disneyland - Buzz Lightyear to become an AntMan themed ride Legoland Malaysia - Project X coaster gets VR headsets to become The Great Lego Race Gyeongju World - 3rd gate opening, including a B&M Dive coaster Shanghai Disney - Toy Story Land including RC Racer

^I could be wrong but I think once you renew a pass and activate it, the old pass is no longer valid for food. I think SF does this so that people don't double order food on both the 2017 and 2018 passes. I never thought about the people that downgrade the meal plan. Sounds like a question for Guest Services.

Seriously? If a park wanted the same ride they could ask B&M to manufacture it. Why scrap it? manpower and time

A lot of people are quite ignorant about weather and tolerance for weather conditions. Many people in the northeast think every state south of Washington DC has beautiful weather in the fall and through winter. It might be warmer to those in the North but if the people in the community will not be as tolerant to the cold weather. Let's not forget that in order to have year round operations you need year round staff. Many parks are struggling to staff all summer, where are they going to get employees. They can't justify raising the pay if the income to pay for the employees is not present. Many of the potential off season customer are likely to be season passes holders lower the average spending per customer at the park. These numbers are completely estimated, but suppose a regional park wants to operate for 10 hours, and 200 employees are needed at all times to completely staff the park (rides, games, shops/food, security, admission, maintenance) and the average employee costs the park $15 per hour. That's $30,000 to cover just the expenses I mentioned. The average season pass holder only brings $10-20 in incremental income to the park each visit. Non-pass holders bring in about $30-$50 per park visit. If 80% of the off-season visitors are season pass holders the park needs about 1,500 visitors a day to break even. It might not be that easy but if it was I'm sure every park would jump at the opportunity to make more money.

Great Adventure crowds during October do not mirror other parks. The park fills up no matter the weather and it gets more crowded each week until Halloween.

Save $10 is you buy your Haunted Graveyard/Combo ticket before this upcoming Friday https://www.lakecompounce.com/hauntedgraveyard/?promocode=hauntedgraveyarddigital17&utm_source=N377807.2209901CONVERSANT&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=20305194

^ and ^^ you are not saying anything new, You are not saying anything that hasn't been expressed dozens of times in this thread.

That woman was not a first timer. I loved how she kept putting her hat back on after each successful thwarting.

Six Flags Fright Fest Media Preview I arrived at the park at opening to visit with my sister and my two nieces. We agreed to attack the park aggressively over the first two hours before crowds built up and move at a more leisurely pace leading up to Fright Fest activities and the cursed long lines. We had a list of must rides and were able to get on all expect for the Safari Off Road Adventure. I was hoping that we could jump on line at 2:15 and be back at the Picnic Pavilion by 4PM for Fright Fest snacks, but the queue was up to 75 minutes by 2:15. We started the day at El Toro and got in 3 quick laps. On the third lap our train stop in the lift hill for 15 seconds or so. My sister (who loves coasters, but is afraid of heights) did two minutes of worrying in those 15 seconds about not being able to walk down in an evac situation. The coaster started moving again and as we finished that circuit myself and my older niece were going to do one more lap, but they announced the ride was being closed. At that moment , we saw the second train empty stopped on the lift hill, so I can only assume they were taking our train out of service. as coneyislandchris recently mentioned, those tiger cubs are getting big Next we proceeded to knock out: Joker, Zumanjaro, walk-through the Animal Discovery area, Skull Mountain, Nitro and Justice League. Justice League was up to am hour wait by 1PM, using the Single rider line did let us cut the wait done to 30 minutes, but it took 25 minutes to get to the single rider split. We walked over to confirm that the wait time on the app was correct for Safari Off Road Adventure. Since it was we split up and I rode Bizarro with one niece and my sister rode Runaway Mine Train with the other. In true Bizarro slow operations form, a five minute wait on the app (line down the stairs) turned into a 20 minute wait with triple stacked trains. Cheeseteaks in the midway would begin the less hectic portion of our day. As we prepared for Fright Fest mode. List of the houses/mazes/trails we needed to cover But it is good to have one of these My niece did a quick stroll through the Trick or Treat trail and was quite unimpressed, having just returned from Disney and MNSSHP. You enter here and there give you a small bag of candy. and you can get your picture taken with Devil Sylvester or Angel Tweety The three indoor houses opened at 3PM, so we jumped on line for Big Top Terror: Forgotten Carnival 3D. Well we really didn't jump in line, more liked we walked right to the front. I love clown/carnival mazes so not surprisingly this was my favorite and I also thought it had great sets, but wearing the 3D glasses was a hindrance at times. We did this house a second time. The second time we took off over glasses and as we went through one room, my sister and I both felt we completely missed the room the first time I had a Press Pass so I was allowed to take pictures in the houses and mazes, but it proved difficult in most of them. It was amusing to have the introducing actors recite their spiel but when they got to the part about no cameras they would say "except this guy", They were also supposed to spread word through the house that a media member was coming through with a camera, but many characters still said no pictures, even I as had the press pass in front of me. In the end it was no big deal as most pictures did not come out. Big Top Terror This guy was out in front of the Big Top greeting people all day Pre-room This room was well done as was the forest scene Last scare of the house Next up we had time to hit the two houses in the old simulator building. Total Darkness - was very dark and they sent in 12 people at once and asked everyone to hold on the a rope. The lead person had a flashlight. It was not completely dark in most place, if you looked up you could see the tops of the maze walls, but this didn't stop people from leading others right into walls. Those in our group who had never done a totally dark maze didn't get the lack of scare actors. Those in the group that had done total darkness mazes in the past were confused about the lack of darkness. The Manor - The set looked good in the maze and the actors had the best make-up, well done. The entrance to The Manor Why is every manor filled with coffins? Scare actor after chasing people out of The Manor Next up was light snacks in the Picnic Pavilion. We were uncertain if there was going to be a speaker. I ran into Martin and Cheryl who I have done TPR trips with in the past. There was a speaker but they released 6 characters into the group. Cupcakes and orange sugar cookies Traditional Halloween candy Hot Dogs or mac and cheese My older niece is unimpressed with clowns My younger niece was not scared in any of the mazes. The clown did a great job, playing the part of a creepy, giggly clown around the younger kids at the event. But out in the midway she was more evil sporting a shovel to make sparks on the sidewalk. Before lining up along the parade rout for the Arrival Parade we hopped into the Showcase Theater to catch their new show Unleashed. We all agreed this was the best entertainment at the event. Among the varied dance and acrobatic performers, the roller skaters were the best. After Unleashed and before the parade we tried to grab a quick ride on Batman, but 5 minutes after we got on line the ride went down. With 20 minute to go before the Parade, we decided to just wait it out so we have an unobstructed view. It would be much better if the parade started when it was a little darker, I guess nature solves that in a few weeks. We encountered her again in the Wicked Wood trail and she still had that doll in her mouth. Since we were so close we went to the Awakening Show next. A mistake in so many ways: 1) The sun was still beating down on the stadium not exactly setting a mood 2) The audio was terrible and you couldn't follow the show At one point many of the maze actors come out a I saw one of the characters that was at our lunch. Cell Block 6 had the longest wait of any of the mazes as we waited 20 minutes with the Express Pass, but that allowed enough time for it to be darker when we got in. The first 2/3 of the maze were uneventful and then the scare actor from lunch popped out. She recognized my niece and went crazy. She screamed at the top of her lungs that "Megan was hear to visit", the actor ran any they every trap door for the next minute and kept popping out in front of my niece screaming. Then two or three other scare actor joined in alternating between welcoming Megan and screaming at her. My sister and me were dying, I know this made our night and Megan's (even though she won't admit it) and I'm sure the scare actor had a great time also. The last three mazes we did were Aftermath, Bloodshed and Wicked Woods. Aftermath had a couple of scare actors sitting so still in front of us we didn't know they were real after they jump at the group behind us. Bloodshed was a little sparse on actors and scares. Wicked Woods was a great concept, but it was also the only time we were in a group of more than 10 people throughout the whole night. Unfortunately, the people behind us were complete idiots by calling out all the scares ahead of time and being rude to the actors. Trails are always best in the dark and wide pathways make it tough to see everything coming, but walking underneath the flume is pretty neat also. At lunch this character made it a point to get my niece's name and she said she was going to tell all her friend's in the cellblock about her.

Flash Pass is not a wristband, it is an electronic device you carry around. Your proposed strategy can certainly be followed.

Apparently the government was trying to woo Dreamworks, but surprised many at the announcement by stating Dreamworks would no longer be involved and the park would have a Mayan theme. https://www.riviera-maya-news.com/dreamworks-gets-boot-maya-cosmogony-new-theme-for-amikoo-resort/2017.html Dreamworks gets boot, Maya cosmogony new theme park September 19, 2017 Alma Rueda Riviera Maya, Q.R. — DreamWorks theme park gets booted and instead, is replaced by Maya themed park. A highly anticipated announcement came late yesterday as the president of Mexico, along with Quintana Roo state governor, were scheduled to officially announce the permanent placement of the new DreamWorks theme park for Riviera Maya. That statement, however, took a turn when officials announced a radical change in conception that instead of DreamWorks, the same proposed park area will be Maya-themed Amikoo Resort. Mexico’s president, Enrique Peña Nieto, explained that it’s important to remain high in competition when it comes to tourism, and that the projection of tourists will be a figure that many Latin American countries cannot reach. Therefore, the atmosphere and characters of the DreamWorks Studios was transformed into a “themed destination, amusement park and resort” completely dedicated to Maya cosmogony. “We are going to compete with others who are up there and I am sure that ours will be better than the one over there,” said the president of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto, referring to Amikoo amusement park that is to be built in Riviera Maya. He explained that the projection of tourists who will visit the theme park is 4.5 million a year, a figure that many Latin American countries and other latitudes cannot reach. This makes Riviera Maya the most important thematic destination of all Latin America. The $840 million USD Amikoo project run by IUSA and Grupo Gala was presented Monday at the official residence of Los Pinos. The change of plans was presented by businessman Carlos Peralta Quintero, president and CEO of IUSA and investor of the project. He explained that construction will be divided into two stages. The first of which includes the start of the Amikoo Resort which will consist of a 320-room hotel, a Mayan archaeology and anthropology museum (Maam), a panoramic flight simulator simulator of submarine expedition (Mares de Mexico), a wave pool (Amikoo Surf), as well as the pirate themed adventure of Bacalar. As before, the entire park will be constructed on the 120 planned hectares in the area of Punta Maroma outside Playa del Carmen, municipality of Solidarity. This first phase will include a convention center, a shopping area and a gastronomic center, as well as a concert arena. Peralta Quintero said that this set of work will be ready in November 2018, for which he invited President Enrique Peña Nieto to cut the inaugural ribbon. The second part will be completed in 2020. This stage will include the Amikoo Theme Park with 24 state-of-the-art rides, divided into zones including Park Maya Extreme (sacred land of trees), Maya Adventure (Maya City in its splendor), Maya Discovery (Discovering the Maya), Amikoo Land (Land of the Amikoo family and Great Mexican Fair). Once complete, the entire construciton of Amikoo Resort will have theme areas, beaches and Scenaria, Jungle. In total, the hotel infrastructure of the entire complex will be 1,200 rooms and that of the 120 hectares approved for the development, 85 will be for conservation. Peralta Quintero added that the construction of Amikoo Resort will create 9,000 direct jobs and 36,000 indirect jobs and that both the creation of characters and the whole conceptualization of Amikoo was generated by 100 percent Mexican talent. The new theme park, Amikoo Resort, is based completely on Maya cosmogony, which is a radical change from the original project, which was based on the characters from DreamWorks studios. The Amikoo Master Plan was submitted to the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources on August 8, 2016, as a theme park and hotel development whose main attraction was the amusement parks Dream Park and Thrill Park

http://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/840mn-theme-park-announced-for-qr/ $840mn theme park announced for QR Mayan-themed park will be built on 120 hectares near Playa del Carmen Mexico News Daily | Tuesday, September 19, 2017 A US $840-million theme park based on Mayan culture will be built near Playa del Carmen in Quintana Roo. At a ceremony held at the president’s residence in Mexico City, representatives from Grupo IUSA and Grupo Gala said the project would be built on the Caribbean coast at Punta Maroma, about 20 kilometers north of Playa del Carmen, and the first stage is expected to be completed before the end of next year. When completed, the amusement park called “Amikoo”— which means friend in the Mayan language — will boast 24 attractions spread over a total area of 120 hectares. The park will be built in two stages. The first will feature an archaeology and anthropology museum, a 320-room hotel, a panoramic flight simulator called “Fly over Mexico” and another simulator where passengers can take a virtual submarine journey. A convention center, shopping area, restaurants, concert hall, an attraction called “The Pirates of Bacalar” and a wave pool are also included in the first phase, expected to be completed by November 2018. The second stage will be built over a longer period with construction planned for 2019 and 2020. Four amusement parks, more hotels and restaurants as well as a resort designed to take advantage of the jungle and coastal location are planned for the second stage. Nine-thousand direct and 36,000 indirect jobs will be created by the construction and operation of the complex, Grupo IUSA president Carlos Peralta Quintero said. He also said it was designed to be environmentally sustainable and that 85 of the site’s 120 hectares were set aside for ecological conservation. President Enrique Peña Nieto spoke of the potential of the development. “. . . This amusement park is going to help Mexico to continue to consolidate as a global tourism destination,” he said. Between 4 and 4.5 million visitors are expected annually, Peña Nieto said, citing the investors’ projections. Tourism Secretary Enrique de la Madrid, who was also present at the announcement, said the park would help to promote the culture, history, biodiversity and gastronomy of Mexico. Mexico is the world’s eighth most popular destination with 35 million visitors last year but de la Madrid said that if numbers continued to increase at the current rate, there was a possibility that it could rise to seventh place next year.