Jay20016

Lightest to heaviest? Or how?

My vote would be do something that is not a photo or real coaster, but something that evokes the passion you have for all coasters. Something drawn to represent the idea behind this hobby, and not just some poorly done marketing you'll regret later... I mean, now if you lost your virginity or something on that level on a specific coaster, then by all means, get that where it counts... I just think that 40 years down the road when Loch Ness Monster or TTD are long gone after-thoughts and scrap metal... something basic/simple/artistic of a coaster enthusiast will hold more value and relevance than that 'relic' or logo of something no one will recognize.

Nothing is showing up on the main site about any of the slides you've mentioned... You can check it here

There are three movies in the Disney vault that they never wish to see the light of day... Song of the South, Dick Tracy, and the Rocketeer. Why not some sort of Jules Verne esque theme?

The Kiddie Coaster was there about two weeks ago.... The track for the new coaster has been there since that as well, just across the street behind one of the restaurants/hotels.

I must admit from watching the video it is a bit underwhelming. I didn't expect the second coming or anything from this, but what was said long ago in the initial video outlining what they were going after for the show ... is missing. Sure bit parts are there, only because they were drummed up so much in that first video (Cheshire cat for example) but I can't but help wonder why the changes... Tech issues? Length? Management's creative control? Even the scenes seemed a bit wonky on transitions... Why did all of the Pixar movies need be lumped together? What purpose does Up serve? Why, in the World of Color, is fire simply orange? Chemicals and other metals would definitely spice up the display and probably confuse those who didn't do chemistry. I just can't see the limitless possibility this show had (especially in the very impassioned debut video outlining the goals) and not feel that this sort of just became one big cash grab by throwing as many characters in it at once, offering up more potential merchandise than small, 3rd world countries could ever produce. And, oh yeah, I reserve final judgment for when I see it myself in person.

Python - Busch Gardens Tampa

I'm like you, of all the Six Flags parks I've been to SFoG has always stood out as the one that I've liked the best. Great America and Great Adventure have their moments... butI really do like the look of SFoG the best. Couldn't agree with you more on the rides. I've not been there since Superman or Goliath opened, but Mindbender was one of my favorites there too. Sad to see the Cyclone looking so run-down though... As for Ninja, maybe it was just that I was young (20) and stupid and thought that rides were supposed to kill you when I went there, but I kind of liked its twisted mess of steel. Great TR.

I completely agree. Most new concepts these days seems to be more of a gimmick than anything. I still enjoy traditional water slides like speed slide towers and standard innertube slides far more than most bowls or these newer designs. Don't get me wrong, some newer slides like launched slides (SFKK's Deluge for example) and smaller body slide bowls (Waterworld's Spacebowl) are awesome because they add something completely different to the sliding experience. I'd like to try that AquaLoop someday though. Looking at that last concept posted, it looks like the thrill of going up on the walls like on a Proslide tornado bowl only lasts for the first part of that massive enclosed section and the rest is just like a regular innertube slide traveling flat, but maybe side to side a little more. Completely wasted high walls and cover except for the enclosing purpose. Granted these are better for marketing than traditional slides, but the experience is basically the same as a family innertube rafting slide, something of which always seems to get longer lines than everything else in parks that have them. It is because as these new slide types come out, they're bright, flashy colors with large funnels and bowls, but their underlying problem is that they have terrible throughput... 1 person/tube per slide, every 20-30 seconds? Awesome, now I'm in line for an hour... even at low attendance parks. It almost seems as if the ride capacity in water slide manufacturers minds is the literal last thing to focus on... Here is hoping that something brings a breath of fresh air into a somewhat stale area...

I'm intrigued by the vertical tube conveyor....

Brazilian bikini with a very, very tiny thong... It looks more like a belt than anything.... but yes, in some cultures that passes as a bottom.

My new quote of the week. You have no idea how frustrating it is to have a refurbishment listed on the resort's main site, your park's main site, and yet people still complain that "the internet" said it was open. I guess people just have a hard time distinguishing the difference between a fan site and a corporate site.. Sure, the fan sites pull data from the park's sites and calendars when it is there, but it is always changing... I really feel for the gate keepers, if you will, at IOA... They surely are in for long shifts....

In terms of said expansion.... much of the new segments seem squarely aimed at the female demographic. Most, if not all, excluding maybe the Winnie the Pooh and Dumbo stuff, is part of the Princess/Fairy demographic; is this just a way to have maybe something for the little "dudes" as well?

Knowing the exact scene that you're going to end on isn't necessarily the same thing that the writers and even J.J Abrams talked about during the first few seasons. An eye closing is far different than what they went on record saying we have such and such mapped out for the story. It really was touted as being bigger than simply a book-end scene throwing back to the pilot episode. Hell, I may have to go through some of the DVDs again to see it, but I could swear that one of the commentaries or behind the scenes things basically said word for word, "We've got X amount of story planned out over Y amount of seasons". More so, once the "end date" was known, there was also the talk of "relief' that they finally knew when they could get into what the wanted to get into all along. I liked the finale as a show, do not care for it as the series finale though, if that makes any sense. I too would have liked to see it a bit darker, less happy endings for all, and maybe show consequences to some of the characters whom did not do the best they could do the entire time. Redemption is good, but you can still be redeemed/forgiven while not having the happiest of endings. I understand that this show has been about characters and that is why I watched it for as long as I have, but the show that had some deep roots in a scientific mystery-drama seemed to lost its way and I do believe a lot of the faith/magic/mysticism aspect of it was tacked on as an easy out... I miss the Jack vs Locke debates; the Man of Science / Man of Faith aspect where we had the two of them sparring off on destiny, purpose, etc. That Jack goes towards a faith aspect in the end, not surprising given what he'd been through, just that the show sort of lost that root... somewhere along the point when the sky started flashing I guess. As for the purgatory bit... While it gives them the chance to make everyone together and give a good send off to everyone involved.... I was expecting more from the alternate-time-line. That Desmond was trying to get everyone together and that he was a "weapon" really had me believing that something in the alt-time would end up saving the "real". Or that the two time-lines would converge with an ultimate choice for some on going on in the "new" time, forgetting the old or going back to the old with all of its baggage and loss...

"Mystifying"? They're calling their own fireworks show odd and perplexing?? It uses two large water screens to project images on the lake. So I guess somebody at SeaWorld's naming department likes puns.

So by end of May, what day are we looking as the deadline for the submission? I'm very curious and can't wait to see what everyone else is doing as I put the finishing touches on the supports. Good luck everyone!

Wow. Kumba looks fantastic!

Who would've known that Universal learned to apply the Droste effect to theme parks!

Nowhere did I say they were great rides. Regardless, they still attract guests more so than launching 50 MPH slower, and in the end that's what it comes down to...$$$. Whether Dragster is a good ride or not, it's still the ride the people run to first when the gates open every morning, and that one ride that's a *must ride* during every visit to CP (at least to everyone I know)...even 7 years after it was built. Gimmicky or not, bottom line when it comes to appeal and attracting people...it works. I wasn't really directing that at you, more commenting on something that I find a bit troubling with the industry and GP as of late, sorry if it seemed that way. While I get that size means everything in terms of marketing, I just wonder how long this race can keep up. How high is too high? How fast is too fast? Ultimately will we not get to the point that the majority of the GP will stop going on things? As far as TTD, I think my favorite coaster at Cedar Point is Raptor: intense, fun, and something different... maybe I've just got a coaster-crush on the inverted ones... Though, Maverick hadn't been built when I was there last, so it could change. It would probably be more than a few. It might be the difference of 20 MPH or so. The general public are attracted to high thrills and fast speeds. Maverick is most likely going to go over better with the GP by launching at 70 MPH rather than 50 MPH (exaggeration). Being such a low to the ground coaster, the general public would probably perceive it as a kiddie coaster if it just meandered slowly throughout the course. Launching at 70 MPH gives it that *wow factor* and makes people say, "Holy **** this is fast!" rather than "This is kind of boring..." But why not keep the launch fast but design the rest of the ride to fit the launch properly? I definitely agree that you need the "wow" factor coasters need, especially something like maverick, which doesn't have the height. I'd rather see it use that "wow factor" speed, in elements throughout the ride instead of trimming it down. This is kinda what I was getting at. Height and speed are great, but do something with them. If you don't have the space for something like that, size it down and make the elements and pathing make up for the difference.

Wow factor or not, in the end it is just a gimmicky number akin to the $1 upmanship of the Price is Right. Ultimately, some park will take their crown/title and the whole cycle starts again and again... A great ride doesn't need to be the tallest, the fastest, the longest: it just needs to make the most out of what space it has, and entertain/scare you however it can. Top Thrill Dragster, for an example, is pretty low on my list of favorite coasters... I'll probably take crap for that, but I'm sorry, once you get over the initial launch, it does what exactly? Top Hats at a good height? I'm supposed to think that my 2 hour plus wait for < 20 sec ride time is worth it? I know that can be said for a lot of wait times, but this mentality is just making a lot of rides not that enjoyable IMO... Rides are getting taller and faster, but have a lower capacity as a result... Sorry for the rant.... as far as trims go: I'm not against trims, they have their use (Montu's Batwing IMO would be pretty painful without it, especially in the back row) but they are like anything else, good in moderation. Some rides benefit, others don't. As for launching at a ridiculous speed to slow down for the "real" ride to start after trims, almost sounds like false advertising and a bit of switcheroo...

When the park was built they pretty much bulldozed everything. They did plant a ton of trees when they opened, but it has taken awhile for them to grow in. The problem with Celebration Street is all of the trees were cut down by former management because they felt the trees were blocking the store fronts. The shade issue is actually the biggest thing that came up during focus groups the park did at the end of last season, which is why they added the indoor restaurant, the indoor theater show, added the Gorge shade structure, trees down Celebration Street, etc. There have been several shade structures in previous years and I wouldn't be surprised to see more "cooling down" initiatives in the future. Gotcha. It is amazing what a little landscaping/planters can do for the overall appeal of a place. Far too often rides are the number one priority when so much can be added by digging deeper into ways of manufacturing great guest experiences by other, often neglected, means.

I've always been a sucker for small parks like this one... Haven't been to it, but from the shots, the only question I have is: Are there are a lot of just wide open concrete paths? It seemed like there wasn't that much shade around the place.

While it is not necessarily the first choice I'd use for some writing inspiration, there are a good deal of outcomes for this, all depending on the genre you want to touch upon. Comedy: We follow the hi jinx of a young, upstart owner and how turning his dream into a reality is filled with many, humorous obstacles. Think "The Money Pit" but actually sort of funny... Drama: We follow a wealthy, young upstart who through various strokes of fate becomes the owner of a large parcel of land in a somewhat under-developed, run down district. After trying to sell the land numerous times, most of the time for a loss, he gets to know one of the neighborhood kids who changes his life. He sets out to create something for the neighborhood to be proud of, creating jobs, tourism money, and the whole nine.... Think "Field of Dreams" and every other haughty, Oscar-aiming drama about guilt.... *looks at the Blind Side* Action: Michael Bay takes a break from Transformers for a bit to create a thrill-ride park that wants to make you its bitch! (Points go to anyone who gets the reference) We follow a group of scantily clad women as they embark on facing their fears, finding low-calorie/fat food at a theme-park, and most importantly finding an unsuspecting dude with cargo shorts to hold all of their useless crap... Plan for lots of gratuitous slow-mo ... *cough* physics *cough* examples... . ..... ... Just because the game has a style of play, the movie can simply use and abuse the focus and theme and use the brand name as a tie-in... Of all of the recent Game/Boardgames to movie things, this might actually have a bit of potential, more so, in comparison to others... There are currently movies involving Battleship, Operation, and Stretch Armstrong in the works... They could do far worse I guess....

Details have also emerged on the “Summer Nightastic! Fireworks Spectacular”, also from the latest Mickey Monitor newsletter: So, it seems as if Summer Nightastic is merely a rebadge of the Pirate and Princess party fireworks at the Magic Kingdom? Don't get me wrong, they're probably my favorite ones at the park, but... I was hoping for something a bit... more.

Years ago, they used to have a koala exhibit in the south western corner of the park near the flamingos. Large indoor viewing areas and the whole thing... it never really had a reason for why it was closed (Maybe the BG:Africa naming scheme?) but I'm curious if they'll be making a comeback. They were cute as hell, and if memory serves correct, they had quite a few little ones there as well.