kraxleRIDAH

Anybody else also hope the Imagineers will take a portion of that huge $1.1 billion budget to fully enclose those scream-deflector half-tunnels on California Screamin'? Those things are so ugly and such an eyesore. Rather than leaving it half exposed with the steel ribbing on the inside visible to guests, they should fully enclose them into real tunnels and maybe add some sort of strobing/light effects.

Movable? Yes. Easy to move? I wouldn't say that. You are aware that restrooms are very large facilities that require a floorplan and an intricate subterranean plumbing and water system, right?

Deja Vu (bottom left) cowers as the flames advance! http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2262/1697130469_5548a4919e.jpg?v=0

^ I think most people would agree with the suggestion that California Adventure is NOT worth as much as it costs to get into Disneyland. I've always wondered why they went about pricing both parks the same. I personally think it has something to do with the psychological aspect of it. If California Adventure admission tickets were cheaper than Disneyland, new visitors would naturally assume the experience would be cheaper as well. Pricing DCA on par with Disneyland gives the Resort an edge as to selling to-be customers the impression that they will get what they pay for. And for that reason, I think that's why DCA has failed so miserably. You have people that drop so much on an admission ticket only to leave the park feeling ripped-off -- and eventually do not make any return visits. I have no doubt in my mind that if DCA were priced in the $40 range, it would do better in attendance. However, there's a lot of fact out there suggesting that most of DCA's customers are either annual passholders or "park hopper ticket" holders. But I still think the straggling "one-park visitor" guest segment would better receive a cheaper ticketing price on DCA admission... My $0.02

My sister just called me that she's on the I-5 north passing Magic Mountain Parkway and apparently "many of the hills around the park are on fire." Not the first time the park has had to deal with a brush fire. Hope the firefighters can put out these fires in San Diego and L.A.

It's going to be replaced with a Victorian-era billboard. As noted a few posts above.

A Christmas tree just 25-feet shy of Medusa's highest track point. That should be one sight to behold.

If Shapiro is willing to pony up the cash, a very well themed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad styled Thomas the Tank Engine coaster could be pulled off if they do it right. Plus, the removal of Psyclone (and possible removal of Deja Vu) would leave plenty of room to do such a project. Then again, the corporation is still carrying a $2 billion debt load. And I'm just daydreaming up a possibility that would never happen in Magic Mountain EVER.

The insurance companies would beg to differ.

Ya, it's been said that Claude and Walter were a team that worked at Intamin AG and the pair left the firm to start up their own -- which became known as Bolliger & Mabillard. Giovanola is a contractor and manufacturer of steel parts. They didn't start building their own rides until 1999 with Anaconda in Gold Reef City. Their last coaster project was Titan at Six Flags Over Texas, after which they left the coaster building business (at least the design aspect of it). I'm sure someone here has more insight about the beginnings of B&M, but that's not me.

^ Thanks for that link. Good to know there's still lots of other things planned for DCA through 2012 that haven't been formally disclosed yet. I'm glad Maliboomer is on the way out. An S&S tower does not belong in a Disney park, no matter how well themed and decorated it is. I'd also like to hear more on about what (if there are any) plans there are for Orange Stinger. That's just as tacky, cheap-looking, bland, and non-Disney as Maliboomer is. So a recap of everything that's been announced so far, and new details disclosed in this article that was missed out on by the press: New Park Entrance Complex by 2011 - New Art Deco turnstiles pushed out to the current California letters - Pacific Electric Red Cars from Walt Disney Plaza to future Cars Land entry - Antique vehicles to Hollywood - Carthay Circle Theater with new Walt Disney Story - Walt Disney Plaza - New "Partners" statue: A youthful Walt and an old-school looking Mickey - 1920's Los Angeles architecture and facades complete with street curbs and furnishings Paradise Pier Remake 2008-2011 - Toy Story - Midway Mania! in 2008 - DCA Preview Center in 2008 - Disney's World of Color Spectacular in 2009 with new amphitheater - 100$ million dollar The Little Mermaid attraction and sea-grotto play area - Goofy's Flying Academy (retheme and renaming of Mulholland Madness) - Beer Garden - High-tech LED lighting system for Sun Wheel / Sun Wheel renamed and redecorated - Victorian architecture and themeing throughout - Disney-Pixar character overlay to California-themed midway games - Mickey head on California Screamin' replaced with Victorian-era billboard Cars Land expansion 2012 - 12 acre expansion into the existing Timon Lot - $200+ million dollar Radiator Springs Racers E-Ticket - Luigi's Bumper Tires C-Ticket (Walt's Flying Saucers) - Mater's Spinner C-Ticket - Drive-In Movie Restaurant - Radiator Springs area development, stores, quick serve dining - Realigned parade route

I think it's obnoxious how Xcelerator has queue rows for each car, not for each ride row. It's a mess. Something like that?

^ Six Flags Over Georgia is making it known that Deja Vu has already closed for the remainder of the 2007 season. I think it's a little safe to say that it's too late for any "last rides" on Deja Vu at the Georgia Park. www.sixflags.com/overgeorgia/ (Look on the right hand column)

Great rare footage of both tracks operating simultaneously. Absolutely horrible music.

I don't get it...

^ Haha. Funny thing is, the Disneyland Fantasyland USED to carry a Circus-tent theme on all of its facades like currently seen at The Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland. Like mentioned earlier, in 1983, all of the Disneyland Fantasyland darkride facades were completely remodeled to an architectural style reminescent of a Bavarian Village.

I'm also on the boat when it comes to updating or "refreshing" the classic Disneyland attractions. Most of the updates are cosmetic changes anyway, without much drastic alteration of the original ride travel route or scenes. If you compare the Pirates of the Carribean of today to the one that was in 1975, you'll really get a feel of how much technology can improve a ride for the better. The animatronic updates have made the realism in that ride that much more believable.

Well, here's the press release from PRNewswire...

This is correct. Disney is the reason why Supreme Scream is an all Turbo-Drop tower complex. The Orange County Registered put out an article a few days after Supreme Scream's opening explaining that Cedar Fair originally wanted Supreme Scream to be just like the Power Tower at their Cedar Point park in Ohio. But at the time Cedar Fair was negotiating the ride with S&S Power, Disney had already secured rights to the Space Shot ride in that particular area. Hmm...I was under the impression that Supreme Scream was already designed and in production and going to a park in Asia but that park backed out and Cedar Fair came in got it for Knott's at short notice and a good price. I think that would be highly unlikely considering once a firm is contracted to build a ride and the piece of equipment is already under production, the act of "backing out" would cause for serious legal issues. When Cedar Fair finalized the Knott's acquisition in late December, the order for the ride immediately went through in hopes to have a big new ride for the busy Summer period. The ride opened on July 3, and was assembled during a good portion of June. The first parts were delivered in May. I have the original article archived as a offline web document. I'll quote the article for those that would like to see that I'm not pulling all of this out of my ass. FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER. ARTICLE DATED 11/09/1998.

No. Space Shot and Turbo Drop towers are built with an operating system specified for that particular ride model. In short, a Space Shot tower can only be run as a Space Shot ride and a Turbo Drop tower can only be run as a Turbo Drop ride. However, a few years after the Turbo Drop came on the market, S&S introduced the Combo Ride model. The Combo Ride allows for the ride to operate as a (1) Combo Ride; (2) Turbo Drop only; and (3) Space Shot only. And because Supreme Scream is not a Combo Ride, its ride programming can't be altered to operate as a Space Shot without a major and expensive retrofit by S&S. This is correct. Disney is the reason why Supreme Scream is an all Turbo-Drop tower complex. The Orange County Register put out an article a few days after Supreme Scream's opening explaining that Cedar Fair originally wanted Supreme Scream to be just like the Power Tower at their Cedar Point park in Ohio -- a pair of drop and a pair of shot towers. But at the time Cedar Fair was negotiating the ride with S&S Power, Disney had already secured rights to the Space Shot ride in that particular area, for use in their then-upcoming second gate in Anaheim (now California Adventure). This led to Supreme Scream to be altered to a three-tower complex with all Turbo Drop rides.

^ Ewwwww!! Mulholland Madness is going to stay put (Goofy's Sky School Coaster)? And Sun Wheel transformed into the Mickey Wheel? *Barfs* I really hope they don't go through with that transformation for the Sun Wheel. The concept art for that thing makes it look so bad. At least the Mulholland Madness transformation looks somewhat more decently themed -- like the Barnstormer in Florida. But it's still a freakin' cheap carnival mouse coaster! Boo. I wish they'd just take it out. As for the up-close detailing of the front of the new entrance, I think it looks so bland and tacky. Looks like something you'd see from Disneyland's Tomorrowland circa 1981.

You're definitely not b*tching Robb. You noted some good points in that post. I personally don't think the plans for a The Little Mermaid dark ride is a bit too much in terms of storybook-type rides at the DLR. If anything, it's something California Adventure as a stand-alone park lacks. Monsters Inc. and the upcoming Toy Story Mania! is really all it has when it comes to dark-rides. Not too many. Plus, the DLR hasn't capitalized on The Little Mermaid film yet, and I think it'll be a big hit once it opens up in the place of the Golden Dreams Theater. As for the Trolleys, it's definitely more there for aesthetics than anything else. I don't know how extensive they plan on making the track route for this thing, but I don't believe it'll be something people will hop on to save themselves a long walk. More like something people will see pass-by on the mainstreet and say "oh that's kind of cute." And the complete overhaul of the entrance...I really don't know what to make of this. I have always thought the loud cartoon-y appearance of the entrance served as a pleasant contrast to the more subtle and traditional entrance to Disneyland. Since all they've told us is that the large CALIFORNIA letters will be removed, the removal of the faux golden gate bridge, turnstiles moved North a few feet, and not too much else, I certainly hope the "new" entry will be much more spectacular in terms of visual appeal rather than a toned-down simpleton entrance like that of Disneyland. Let's see what Mark Shapiro will have to say about his lukewarm Thomas Town, Tony Hawk, and Wiggles World at Magic Mountain going up against this huge 5-year $1 billion tranformation at California Adventure. And that's not including any plans for new additions to Disneyland park.

Thank God that Sunshine Plaza Sun thing is being taken out as part of the renovation. I always thought that thing looked so cheap (for Disney) and a little bit tacky. I must say the new entry and "main street" looks very nice so far. A lot of people are complaining that it'll be too similar to Disneyland's Mainstreet USA, but each park's entry area will be from a completely different era and location in the U.S. I believe Walt patterned the Disneyland entry and mainstreet after a 1900's Marceline, Missouri (Walt's hometown) -- as opposed to DCA's new 1920's Los Angeles look.

^ A park should only be renamed to reflect any dramatic changes to its overall offerings, themes, and experiences. In the case of California Adventure, it should not be renamed. The MGM Gate in Florida is being renamed because I believe they are dropping the MGM tie-in so it's being called Hollywood Studios to reflect that park's image --- attractions nearly all based on film-related stuff. California Adventure is much more than a "Hollywood" movies theme. There is no need to rename the park. With areas like Paradise Pier, Golden State, and Grizzly Peak, and Condor Flats, the park is a reflection of California's history, past, and future. It's not all centered around a "Hollywood Studios" image. To rename the park to "California Hollywood Studios" would be a stupid thing to do.

Not sure if you already know this Robb, but you're featured in the "Reviews" section for Hollywood's Halloween Horror Nights page. http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com/hollywood/news_reviews.html