jedimaster1227

Universal Studios Florida has sent us a press release about the return of the Ghost Hunters to Halloween Horror Nights!

Universal Studios Hollywood has sent us a great set of concept pieces for La Llorona and the Alice Cooper: Welcome to my Nightmare mazes!

^Quite upset I didn't make the list...

(Continued) I must be in Los Angeles. Back at elecTRONica... I've resumed my geeking out for the night. Laserman, a staple since elecTRONica was launched, recently debuted a relaunched version of the show featuring music from the TRON: Legacy Reconfigured album. Having never seen the show in public before, I was quite entertained. Video (and most photos) don't really do this spectacle justice. The crowd really did eat it up too, so it wasn't just me. That must be heavy... There are now two angles from which the lasers emit. The original show only featured the vertical emitters. While not the best show I've ever seen in a park, Laserman Reconfigured is unlike anything I've ever seen in a theme park. If you get the chance, I highly recommend giving it your time. The finale includes this last emitter on the ceiling. Considering this was a previously closed space, I love what they did with it. And it is sponsored by Coca-Cola! Projection mapping at night makes the studio which houses Flynn's arcade look much more like its fictional counterpart. Change the scheme! Alter the mood! Electrify the boys and girls, if you'd be so kind! Not once during my trip did I not see elecTRONica as extremely busy. Even the projections on Monster's Inc. help turn the area into TRON City. RECTIFY! Where you go when you're buying "libations for everyBODY!!!!" Every time the laser goes off another program has entered The Grid. This doesn't look like the Hollywood Pictures Backlot to me. Time to ride The Little Mermaid for the first time! Scuttle's a pretty impressive animatronic. The effect of diving under the sea is actually pretty impressive. There are story elements on the ceiling and walls, in addition to hidden corners of the show scenes. This ride is very reminiscent of old style Disney dark rides, just built with modern technology. One of several Ariel animatronics... You move through the "Under the Sea" scene a little quickly, but the scale is definitely impressive! Strawberry Dole Whip anyone? Ursula's "bend and squish" was well programmed. Don't wanna kiss the girl? Ursula's end is depicted very briefly in the final scene of the ride. A nice effect... King Triton looks more human than any of the other characters in the attraction, which is kind of neat. And they lived happily ever after... Until the direct-to-video sequel came along. I think this is Jetsam. What's this hidden in the shadows? It's on the other side of your shell right at this show scene... It's a hidden Mr. Limpet!!! In a matter of hours, the building's walls at EnginEARs Toys were beginning to come down. So long... Farewell... They really are sparing no time when it comes to redoing the entry shops for Buena Vista Street! One side of the old entrance's original ticket booth pass-thrus was still intact. Slowly getting more used to this... Though I blink expecting to read "Disney's Hollywood Studios." Looks nice at night! Sadly, the Matterhorn was closed for refurbishment during my visit. Though I did think about waiting it out until it reopened... While the size of the Sleeping Beauty Castle has always surprised me, I am definitely a fan of what it holds inside. A hint of what's to come!

(Continued) The train depot for the Golden Zephyr shops and eateries was still intact at the time this photo was taken, despite the fact that the train itself had already been removed. 07.09.82 12.07.10 Get it? The laser is actually a part of elecTRONica, zapping guests during the evening while throwing them into the realm of The Grid. Retro! Jean jackets... Very retro! Creepies... Crawlies... Toads in a pond... Let there be music from regions beyond. Then the mood shifts as Flynn's Arcade disappears, revealing warriors from The Grid... Some good looking warriors... 'The aura was palpable..." "Was it now?" In elecTRONica, Eckert (a Castor look-alike) runs the show. He forces programs to dance to songs by Daft Punk, which I'm fine with. Programs in elecTRONica can also fly. "Libations for everyBODY!!!" Okay... The former Hollywood & Dine restaurant space has been partially converted into a small recreation of Flynn's Arcade, as seen in the two films. The set is pretty convincing, until you look up. That being said, it is a fully functioning retro arcade featuring an equally retro audio loop full of classic 80's songs. Neon signs represent notable 8 bit games of the arcade era. This was definitely a nerd-tastic moment for me. Why Florida, why? Why couldn't you do this too??? I had to at least play the game once... This was a major moment for me. Space Paranoids artwork adorns the brick walls... Pac Man anyone? Little known fact: I love arcades. I'm really in heaven. They even have a working version of the fictional game, Space Paranoids in Flynn's Arcade. This was the original game that took Encom to the top of the charts. It's real! You've been recognized! Even the game tokens for Flynn's Arcade are branded for elecTRONica. I took some home as souvenirs. Clever. I've never had to wait for Monster's Inc., which is something I'm perfectly fine with. "It took how long to post the last Bryan and Adam Show update?" "No ma'am. Mimes are never funny." Sully's been waiting a long time. Didn't there used to be a scent used in this room? I know the responses are pre-recorded, but the programming that allows Roz to respond to guests is so clever! It picked up on me taking photos of her and based her entire end spiel on that! Want. As the day went on, more details were ripped from the facade of EnginEARs Toys. Not much longer now... Ok, I'll give. I love Star Tours. That Tusken dude looks like a lady! Poor Captain Rex! Hidden Mickey, for you fans... Each piece of luggage in the queue has it's own unique label with some of the Lucas language, Aurebesh. Patrick Warburton took G2-9T to the next level! Nice job pal! The loading station for Star Tours at Disneyland is extremely narrow due to the space constraints of working the original attraction into an existing building. Star Tours at Hollywood Studios was built from scratch, which allowed for two additional simulators and a larger loading bay. Oh no. What am I doing here???

Seriously going to be an amazing TPR event! Counting down the days!

(Continued) On our way out... They are too big! Hours after the announcement, Busch Gardens had already posted a sign confirming the debut of Iceploration. They also confirmed that a Christmas show with ice skating will debut. It's huge! This sign was recently added to the exit of Cheetah Hunt. NightShade Toys has moved to a new location this year, with its entrance close to the entrance plaza for the park. Despite sharing the theme with Williamsburg, our event is going to be very different. They're watching... Always watching... The Shop of Horrors has reopened for the season! Some clever new shirts are for sale in the shop... Hehehe Tis true. Bryan Stoll does. Some returning props have been zombified. Mugs and stuff... Lots to be bought... They have an Angry Birds claw game! Even the nurses got the eye-rose treatment. Happily Never After? They had a dark garden in the shop... A section with merchandise from last year's event is also here. It's called Sylvie's Closet. I miss Sylvie! All of the houses on the traditional shirt... Thanks for reading!

So last week I had the opportunity to attend a brief but memorable announcement presentation for the new Marrakesh Theater show to debut in 2012 for Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. The theater has a well known history of hosting world class ice skating shows, and did so up until Katonga was brought in for its lengthy run. Now that Cirque Dreams: Jungle Fantasy has ended its run, Busch Gardens is ready to bring in a new act while returning to its roots. Park President Jim Dean noted during the presentation that in terms of entertainment feedback, the call for a new ice skating show was overwhelming and has been since the last show of the same kind was ended. Iceploration will tell the story of a grandfather trying to open the eyes of his grandson to the world outside of cell phones and computers. The show will visit the ocean, the rainforest, the arctic and the jungle, and will be the first ice skating show of its kind to feature live animals. [coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=00000_mq5f[/coastertube] This sign was at the entrance of the park, and park employees were passing out cards reminding guests of the announcement before rope drop. This is the guy that sent a personalized message to TPR teasing Cheetah Hunt a year ago! Set to debut on February 2nd, 2012. The park's head of entertainment gave us some background on the show. You can see that the former sets for Katonga/Cirque Dreams are beginning to be removed. Huge set pieces will accent this ambitious new show. Lush set designs will help set to the tone for each act. Guests will see an Aurora Borealis via a spectacular light show contained within Iceploration. The rainforest will play host to several new characters for the park... Including these two tree frogs... And this dragonfly. Elsewhere in the show, these two huskies will be featured. After the show, we were treated to slices of this impressive cake! Breakfast! I don't know if you know this, but I like cake. Elsewhere in the park, preparation for the return of Howl-O-Scream is well underway. Deconstruction: The Doctor is Out of his Mind! is almost ready to go. Over in Egypt, several werewolf statues have been placed. They've got a DarKastle feel to them, if you ask me. Howl-at-the-moon-O-Scream! Cheetah Hunt is seriously a great addition to the park's stellar lineup. Some good airtime going on here! Such a fun spectator element! About to crest the top of the best airtime hill in the park... It is no wonder that Dan Koch of Holiday World was at Busch Gardens that day riding Cheetah Hunt with Mark Rose, VP of Design and Engineering for Busch Gardens. Scooter's jeep from the old water section of Rhino Rally was retained when Cheetah Hunt was built into the existing area. The new animal care facility is well on its way to being topped off. And it is a very large facility! I'm in love. Oh, and this. Going to the park on a weekday means very little lines. For the first time since Jungala debuted, I could finally get into the pop-up without waiting 30 minutes! Slightly Twistee! Megacroc! You took Chubb's hand! My lengthy Harry Potter report put him to sleep... Ditto. This looks great! Death Row Vengeance: Fear the Dead is nearly complete. Such detail! One more reason to be thrilled about Busch Gardens Bash! Bush Baby!!! Zabumafoo's like vuvuzela's too! It wouldn't be Florida if there weren't pink flamingos! I love sloths! I mean really, what's not to love? Since nobody knew about Curiosity Caverns the last time I posted a Busch Gardens trip report, I went back for more. It's tucked in the back of the park, and never has more than a few guests in it at one time. Index? Lemurs sleep in packs. While not a rodent, I feel like this is adorable enough to be a Disney character someday. Gila Monster!!!

Seriously? You're still going on about this conspiracy? Everybody knows the aliens wrecked Ultra Twister, get over it already.

Wow... I was next in line after Dan and didn't even realize that's who that was... Definitely noticed that Mark Rose was giving them a hands on tour of the ride though! EDIT: Looking at that photo, those are my feet! The white Nike's belonging to the person in the blue shirt are mine!

You will typically find that at the parks, weekdays, especially Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays will have lesser crowds than Fridays thru Mondays would. Luckily, aside from when they are closed for refurbishment, all of the Florida water rides stay open year round with the parks, regardless of the weather, so November should be fine. One thing of note, you are better off visiting the park at opening, as the lines will increase significantly during the day, especially for Cheetah Hunt. So if you are interested in decreased wait times, be sure to get there early. Also consider investing in the park's Quick Queue option, which will help you skip the lines on the significant attractions.

(Continued) Gumbo and all you can drink Mint Juleps? I'm in heaven! My friend ordered the Jambalaya, which was delicious. And for me, the Monte Cristo with the signature Blue Bayou potatoes. The "Let the Memories Begin" ad in the Esplanade rotates to show guests memories as they happened. I'm going-going, back-back, to... Orlando??? This is going to take some getting used to. Yep. EnginEars Toys had closed a few days prior to our arrival and by the time we left the entire building's facade was ripped off (I have photos). The Carthay Circle Theater will be home to two new bars/restaurants, one of which will be dedicated to members of the new Carthay Circle Club, the park's answer to Club 33. Just the week before, the Golden Zephyr had been torn out with the engine sent off to a nearby railroad museum. After being shut off for several years, the rotating effect for the marquee for Condor Flats has finally been restored. Again looking back, I realize I didn't even ride Soarin' this time around. On to the Hollywood Pictures Backlot (or eventually Hollywoodland). In preparation for the debut of Disney Junior Live on Stage!, the building's facade was updated to reflect a more 1920's-esque design, and the theater gained a new moniker as the Disney Theater. I've been Recognized! I definitely considered buying number five. Works for me! Again, works for me! I was the only one in the group I was with that enjoyed this preview, but being a fan of the film (I will admit, I watched it on the flight to LAX), I was happy to see a well edited sizzle reel on the big screen. The backlot's fountain has been masked by a massive DJ booth complete with a fantastic lighting package. The Monster's Inc facade remains unaltered, although it looks very different during elecTRONica. I thought this was a clever use of an otherwise-closed location. I'll be back. They even updated the Studio's sign to keep with the theme of elecTRONica. I'm glowing on the inside. Food Truck Fancy fulfilled! The backside of the elecTRONica projector screen is well masked. And there is plenty of merchandise to be sold... In preparation for the arrival of the Buena Vista Street Red Car Trolleys, the sign for the Hollywood Pictures Backlot (and elecTRONica) was removed. Good news Disneylanders! You have cake pops now too! I thought this was clever... The lack of lazy eye is upsetting. What's all this Mary Blair artwork of, you ask? *facepalm* Welcome to Hawaii! Prepare for some Paul Rudd quotes! "I'm going to give you a Hawaiian name... Peepyopee!" "Okay Monster Man!" "You sound like you're from Lahn-dahn!" "Come on out. Oh, the weather outside is weather... " Surfing Instructor: If you get bitten by a shark, you're not just gonna give up surfing, are you? Peter Bretter: Yeah, probably. Surfing Instructor: I once saw him beat a guy up with a starfish! Peter Bretter: That's ridiculous. Surfing Instructor: That guy was me. "Too slow. Do less." The Disneyland Hotel is currently in the process of a major overhaul. This pool recently re-opened with this fantastic looking slide complex. The retro-ness is overwhelming. Also recently opened was the Tangaroa Terrace and Trader Sam's... But I'll get to that later! These towers are almost down with their respective refurbishments. We were also shown a renovated room in the Frontier Tower of the Disneyland Hotel. The beds' headboard has lights in it! I guess I did get to ride Soarin' after all... In the lobby of the Frontier Tower is a huge scale model of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the surrounding area.

(Continued) One of my favorites at the resort... I even got one of my friends to give it a second chance, which he enjoyed much more than his first experience. It's all about the "Mocoddity." ...Or stroller parking. Get it? Oh the detail! I seriously have a craving to go walk around Port Orleans French Quarter now. There's just a certain charm to this section of the park... Details around every corner. Another favorite atmospheric stop for me is the Court des Anges. Mademoiselle Sally McWhirter teaches music lessons upstairs, and sometimes you can hear her. Recently brought back, the shop isn't my cup of tea, but I think it is a nice touch to bring back a formerly closed option. Robb and Kevin, I bow in your general direction. The Phantom turns the popcorn in New Orleans Square... On to another classic... It just works so freaking well! Is this haunted room actually stretching? No... It's actually sinking! (Kind of like Horizons.) These possessed portraits made their way into Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansion a few years ago, but these can be found in the loading queue for Disneyland's version. It will never get old. Happy Birfday! And a ghost will follow us home! Picturesque. This always takes a little getting used to. As does this. There was definitely blood on the saddle. Definitely blood on the ground. Nights in white satin, never reaching the end, Letters I've written, never meaning to send. Beauty I'd always missed with these eyes before. Just what the truth is, I can't say anymore. 'Cos I love you, yes I love you, oh how I love you. If Disney could do it, why couldn't Hard Rock Park? Moving on... Confused? Me too. Tears will definitely be the chaser for your wine. Bryan, you have officially lost the ongoing goat hunt. And I also win for the mini-horse hunt. As a promo for the new (and fantastic) Soundsational parade, the drummers from the beginning of the show perform on their own over by it's a small world. And do cool things like this. And this. And the boy band pose. And the "Here's looking at you, kid." Somehow I was shanghai'd into touring an Aulani preview model... I'll have photos to show for it. Time for one of the coolest nonsensical attractions out there. I get it! I'll let you figure these out. If only we could get these in Orlando... Screw Ball. "Weesa gonna die!" Somebody's getting followed by a fan... But she finds time to pose for a photo, and then promptly resume her flight. Time for the goods! Le Special de Monte Cristo is what I'm here for. Well... That and the atmosphere!

(Continued) I was glad to see that Mr. Grouper hadn't moved from his spot since last year. In my absence, he even evolved to gain a blow hole! This diver is searching for the remainder of the Bryan and Adam Show Deep South episodes. He hasn't had any luck yet. Hey Tiki Tiki, you've got something on your nose. Notice the fish in the clam? And scared fish is still here too! This ride's got crabs. Seriously one of my favorite attractions in the park. We must be in Tomorrowland... They've recreated the layout of the Rocket Rods! Hello Beautiful! She's sick today. If I haven't said it before, I am a huge fan of Disneyland's version of Fantasyland. And while I'm not a Disney fairytale kind of person, Alice in Wonderland (along with Pinocchio's Daring Journey) is one of my favorite rides in the area. When the Queen of Hearts gets angry, the whole room shakes. And the two-floored aspect of the ride is also a major plus! Much like the remnants of the Rocket Rods, the remaining pieces of the Mine Train thru Nature's Wonderland has fascinated me. I think it is extremely clever to reuse old thematic elements of old rides in the development of new attractions and areas. The River Belle Terrace offers a great breakfast for those looking for fresh pancakes but are on a cheap budget. We'll need electron beams and crystal prisms, gyroscopes and magnetism... Give me a moment to stare... I love Walt Disney World's ride for the layout and raving soundtrack, but I really do have a soft spot for this Space Mountain. Star Port 75 is in the family too. What a fantastic station! Not as nice as Tokyo's but pretty cool on its own! During last Summer's trip, I saw the Captain EO Tribute ten times. I love the show anywhere I see it, but Disneyland's rediculously-bouncing program makes this one far more enjoyable. The show is no longer sponsored by Kodak. I'm thrilled to be here! Mind you, Bryan is probably going to strangle me for putting on my "flight glasses" before we left the terminal. Forgive me. The return of Star Tours has brought a surge of crowds into Tomorrowland... Time for some more nerdom. The fastpass machines are Gonk Droids!!! Anyone want to arrange a walking tour of the track for me? Please! Welcome home! You've arrived! I didn't realize this until I took this photo, but the new marquee for Walt Disney World's Enchanted Tiki Room is based on this one! Hiya Andrew! Time for another one of my favorites! Unlike the Aurebesh in the Star Tours queue, you can basically figure out what the glyphs here are saying without having a decoder. If only... If only... *sighs* Naturally, I pulled the rope. Sallah's my boy! Shouldn't he be considered a contributing to the Time Institute? He did provide the foundation for the Time Rover! Noted! Oozing with detail... Hello Tokyo DisneySea! Now I'm really home! Every nook and cranny in New Orleans Square has a new detail to discover! Like Fortune Red for example... He uses his grimy finger to guide you... Along the path... To find your treasure! Fortune Red is one of several fortune tellers found inside of Disneyland.

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/09/sorcerers-of-the-magic-kingdom-coming-to-walt-disney-world/

Following up on last year's trip report, I was fortunate enough to return to California this year to spend several days at the Disneyland Resort and to cover the D23 Expo. With my new camera, I ended up taking over 5000 photos during my week long visit, but I've whittled that number down significantly of those to share here. I'll provide write-ups where appropriate (like for the D23 stuff) as I get to it, but in the meantime, enjoy these photos as they come! [coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=00004_pj77[/coastertube] I figured it would be appropriate to have the first photo be of the most major addition to the Disneyland Resort on the horizon... While I'm not a Cars fan myself, this does look pretty impressive! The Blue Sky Cellar remains as one of my favorite places to relax at California Adventure. Our first dinner at the resort was a World of Color dinner package at the Wine Country Trattoria. After last Summer's visit, I had to get the amazing lamb shank again! The dessert tray was also more impressive than it was last year with macaroon lollipops and chocolate tartlets. Intamin ride... Intamin ride... Intamin ride... While I miss the Sun Wheel, I really do love the LED lighting package that the Fun Wheel received in its overhaul. (That's light emitting diodes for those of you who don't know... -BZ) Since my last visit, Pizza Oom Mow Mow and the S.S. Rustworthy had been removed to make way for the Paradise Gardens restaurants. This is seriously a major improvement! Oh, and now there's beer! I never really noticed how nice the Jumpin' Jellies' lighting package was, but it fits surprisingly well into the new Paradise Gardens section of Paradise Pier. Last time I was here, Mulholland Madness was still open. The Goofy overlay works thematically, but I was a little disappointed by how much was really unchanged. At the end of the day, it is still a mess of metal, but the blue paint makes it a little less tough on the eyes. Much like the Barnstormer was at the Magic Kingdom, the new station's theme surrounds a barn (or in this case, a farm where Goofy used to crop dust) that Goofy has turned into a flight school. The man himself! The queue has been filled with gags and details that tell the story of the refurbished attraction. For the love of Larry! The bulletin board is filled with tie-in gags to other attractions and characters in the Disney family. There was blood on the saddle... Blood on the ground... "If you're planning to learn to fly at Goofy's Sky School you should stop" Hy Flyer. This poster will be sold soon at the Disneyland Resort. The ride's cars have been slightly retimed to add a propeller to the front and a "student decal" to the back. The transfer track has been rethemed, which is a nice touch. Along the course of the track are instructional billboards that tell you how to perform a certain maneuver... The lift is still very fast for a wild mouse. Easy enough! This display actually has moving features. Watch the POV to learn how I flew the Goofy way... Something seems to be missing here... That being said, the removal of the Maliboomer has brought some fantastic balance to view of Paradise Pier. The Fun Wheel has really grown on me in the last two years. Over at Disneyland, our first stop was the original Enchanted Tiki Room. Still full from my dinner at the Trattoria, I didn't get dole whip. Sadly enough, I never did get to go back and have some during the trip. If only we could bring dole whips into the Walt Disney World version of the Tiki Room... I think I'm experiencing deja vu. The following morning started with a ride on a newer favorite of mine, the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. Guess why this pipe is significant. Not our chariot today... I'm a nerd. But I love rides as detailed as this! Dive! Oh no! (A hint of things to come!)

^In a discussion board, a reply is subject to be discussed. What you said came off as assumed fact, when in reality it was an opinion, but many noticed the errors behind the assumptions you made. I don't think anyone tore you down, but you really do come across as certain when you put out statements like the ones you did. That coupled with your continued lack of proper posting etiquette makes it more difficult to take a post like that seriously. And this is something you have been warned about on several occasions. As with any discussion board, you may not always get the response you are looking for when you post, but you do assume that risk when you click the "Submit" button. Now that that has been said, let's get back to talking about this exciting new addition to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom!

I'll try to respond to this without laughing too much. 1. They didn't invest this ride or it's theme for you, they did it for the general public. The general public doesn't go to Six Flags for the theme. At the end of the day, it is a coaster, and a new one at that--if you build it, people will ride. To anyone else, the theme won't truly be the deciding factor on the coaster's success. 2. There are far worse inversions and far more intense coasters out there, and they still exist. Again, they didn't design this coaster for you, they designed it for the general public. 3. While this is true, think of it this way... If hundreds of people are waiting in line for this, that means that those hundreds aren't waiting in line for the other rides and attractions in the park, thus decreasing the waits across the board. While this attraction may be a capacity nightmare, it will help both on the marketing angle as well as balancing the crowd dispersion throughout the park, much like Soarin' does for Epcot. 4. Skyrocket at Kennywood goes through several inversions with the same trains and no rider has fallen out. Many Premier launched coasters feature only lap bars and no riders have fallen out. Look around at the some of the similar coasters that are out there and you'll realize that lap bars are not uncommon in looping coasters. Revolution at Six Flags Magic Mountain even had a lap bar for a lengthy period of time. In the long run, I'm sure plenty of people will ride it. It is a roller coaster. People come to the park to ride roller coasters, especially kids.

^While we appreciate your opinion, we ask that you communicate it in a way that is in line with our Terms of Service. Currently your post lacks proper capitalization and punctuation. Please refrain from posting in this manner in the future.

Based on the promo art, the skull isn't going anywhere.

You make it sound like there is some conspiracy that was involved in not only intentionally damaging that ride, but directly screwing Six Flags America overall. Seriously people, it is a new addition! This park could have been Geauga Lake'd or closed, and people would still complain that they were being screwed.

I won't speak for Elissa, but this makes me happy!

^The concept art for the ride showed PTCs, so I'm not surprised. Considering the size of the investment for these coasters, maybe it was just cheaper for them to stick with PTCs this time around.

Universal Studios Hollywood has sent us a press release regarding their next maze announcement for Horror Nights. Also for anyone who didn't see it, Universal sent us the press release for the Terror Tram: Scream 4 Your Life.