jedimaster1227

I really would be devastated if they closed Crown Colony House. I've been going there with my family for as long as I've been a pass holder... And that has been a long time. All you care to eat fried chicken and fish, mashed potatoes, stuffing, salad and fries, all overlooking the park's gorgeous Edge of Africa savannah. Closing this would be a mistake, even if it was being replaced with something else. Closing this just to let the venue sit unused would be a tragedy.

http://www.lohud.com/article/20130723/NEWS02/307230023/Sustainable-Playland-keep-most-rides-place?gcheck=1

http://blogs.disney.com/insider/articles/2013/07/24/60-years-of-imagineering-the-impossible/

^I went there yesterday and took some photos of the ride for my trip report to be posted soon. I didn't have waterproof gear with me so it was only photos from a safe distance but it looks like guests really liked it. The ride didn't spin as much as I expected it to; less like teacups and more like round splash battle boats.

http://twitter.com/UORHHN/status/357579205506134016/photo/1

^^The Dippin' Dots guy from IAAPA told us so.

Here is the footage from the grand opening ceremony for the new Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

^^I honestly don't think it would matter to the general guests. Half of the guests don't even understand why the houses that share a soundstage or tent have exits that merge into one collective exit and the amount of dumbfounded guests that ask "why didn't we come out of that exit?" is evidence to the fact.

http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com/hollywood/2013/teaser/

^^You could argue that the ride could have remained in its current location until the park had established itself enough to invest money back into the ride much in the same way Walibi Belgium took so long to reopen Turbine. That being said, it appears that the only part of the ride that was retained to bring Turbine back online was the track itself with the launch system, brakes and trains being brand new--with the park maintaining and carefully keeping up the ride during its closure. Comparing the two rides, Turbine had the benefit of attention on its side, while Greezed Lightnin' had been neglected and left to rust for four years. At the end of the day, the cost of practically rebuilding this ride from the ground up didn't seem to win out over tearing it down and starting from scratch. And as much as I'm bummed to see another one of these neat looking shuttle loops lost (I've still not been on one), it seems to be the wisest move the park could have made given the situation.

^Most definitely! Can't wait to see those trip reports!

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Lava Monster makes any ride better.

http://www.olc.co.jp/wpmu/wp-content/blogs.dir/8/files/2013/07/20130712_01e.pdf

I actually thought this might have been a rebuilt High Speed Thrill Coaster considering the color and condition, but if I remember the "deconstruction" photos from that ride, it wasn't really disassembled, more broken apart. Regardless of where its origin is, this is a really neat find!

Looks like a nice park! Thanks for sharing these great photos with us!

I hope they keep that ending purely to keep the memory of Rocket Rods alive.

^He makes a cameo in a post-credits scene at the end of the reboot.

Today's update is a little shorter to allow for the next one to be filled with the last of the tail end of the trip's best, so let's resume! Jack pointed the gauntlet towards the sky and this happened. And this... Some of this... Lots more of this... It really is something to see fireworks at sea. This isn't a Reflections of Earth style show, considering the limited amount of launchers they can have on the ship, but the sky lights up for a good portion of the show. This is a very impressive aspect of the overall Disney Cruise Line experience! After the fireworks, Club Pirate takes over with ghoulish pirate dancers taking the stage. Only on a Disney cruise can you find ghoulish pirate dancers that fly after a fireworks show at sea. The next day was a sea day, so I spent a good deal of time roaming the ship to get some photos. I think I like taking photos of the AquaDuck even more than I like riding it! Something about floating around the ship with a clear view of the ocean around you and the other guests below is wonderful! Mary Poppins on the Funnel Vision and me on deck. I seriously LOVE this. The kids of the ship really seemed to enjoy the AquaLab. The water play area has some fun interactive elements that add to the soakage. Also, notice how the AquaDuck wraps into the AquaLab perfectly! Goofy's Sports is at the aft section of the ship with a full basketball court, mini golf, ping pong tables and a special room with sports simulators available for reserving. Goofy's Golf is a very Disney mini golf course. The location also provides a great view! The little details... This ship really is something else! This is one of several adult pools on the ship to enjoy. The "wade-up" bar is awesome too. Currents is a bar found at near the front of the ship. I figured this photo was a must. My reaction: http://tinyurl.com/mfatx9r This is awesome though. It was lobster night... So naturally I ordered some. And it was some of the best lobster I've ever had! They also had venison on the menu, so I ordered some... Because I could! Amaretto Cheesecake. A combination of two things I really, really enjoy. Enchanted Garden really looks great by the end of the meal. For the index! With it being Semi-Formal night, I felt it might be appropriate to get some nicer photos on the ship. And this photo well... Because it's kind of my thing. #Rothing During the NBA Finals, we were able to watch the games on Funnel Vision. I really love the Atrium. If you're picking up on a common theme, I just really love everything about this ship. Shanghai Disneyland's Enchanted Storybook Castle is already included on the map! "Was he in a dolphin movie?" On to Castaway Cay where I really started to geek out! Castaway Cay is a huge island that Disney owns in its entirety. There's already a ton of things to enjoy here, but you can definitely tell that there's room to expand down the road. There's a complementary shuttle service available across the island that brings guests to all of the major destinations. Why thank you! It isn't Disney if it doesn't have a story! Growing up sailing a Catamaran as a kid, the chance to rent of these was extremely enticing. Disney Cruise Line is the only one in the industry to have a private island that the ships can dock directly at, as opposed to needing to tender. This may not sound like a big deal, but it is a huge convenience not only for the guests but for the operations on the island. There's no shortage of character on Castaway Cay! The signage throughout the island has that authentic island, aged feel to it. The Big Cheese himself! And Goofy too! For those of you wondering about prices of alcohol on the ship, this is the main drink menu from the island bars, which is comparable to what you find on the ship.

http://www.eviltakesroot.com/?p=40

Here is the footage from last week's media preview of The World of Chima, including a full POV of The Quest for CHI splash battle, footage of the opening ceremony and interviews with Adrian Jones and representatives from the LEGO Group and Cartoon Network!

Here is video of the fireworks finale added to Shamu Rocks this year for SeaWorld Orlando's Summer Nights!

We're using the parks' respective main threads for all HHN coverage, so feel free to post then here and in the Universal Hollywood thread!

^^The the wheel complex is a totally new section of the pier to the side of the existing Steel Pier amusement area. Pictured in the concept art is an extension of the amusement area beyond its current limits to include another coaster, pictured here as something like a Eurofighter.

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/cool_japan/fun_spots/AJ201307050071