Playland/PNE (Vancouver) Discussion Thread

[Nrthwnd]

^ That'll have to wait till next year.

[Jew]

It's being reported at IAAPA that the PNE will be replacing their HUSS Frisbee with a KMG XXL to debut on Easter of 2015.

[Nrthwnd]

^ Kind of a long, long time away for this to open,

but still welcome as something new for the park.

Thanks for the update, Joey.

 

EDIT to add: Learning this, I am a bit surprised

that they are taking so long to take out the

frisbee and install the XXL. From the site, it

appears that with just 4 workers, this thing can

be assembled in less than a couple of days.

 

So... a year and half for this to open?

From the KMG site. An XXL.

[Jew]

Kmg is booked solid building rides for the next 2 years....2015 delivery is probably the earliest they could deliver the ride.

[Nrthwnd]

^ Hmm. Didn't consider that. Then they probably won't announce this

until (probably) the end of next season. Ah well. In time....

[Nrthwnd]

Playland in Vancouver, has just posted it's prices for all season passes, etc.

 

http://www.pne.ca/playland/index.html

 

The special price is good until Christmas Eve, but after the holidays,

some times they have offered the same prices for at least one month more.

 

And - New Bumper Cars next year!!!

And I do hope in a newly built building for them to go crazy in.

And if it's the same tired old broken down thing. Whatever.

Former (I hope) Bumper Cars Bldg.

And the sad little traffic jams inside.

Edited January 5, 2014 by Nrthwnd

[cal1br3tto]

And final destination for the old bumper cars is...Miracle Strip at Pier Park in Panama City Beach, Florida.

 

I remember looking at the field of cars at Playland and wondering, "Wait...why is there a cat?"

 

Link

 

Ready to leave Vancouver. Note the inexplicable cat. Source: Miracle Strip Facebook page.

[kidcoaster 2]

I was trying to figure out where they were coming from, thanks!

[Nrthwnd]

The season's pass end date has been extended into mid-January.

From the "They do this every year and yet, I still buy it before Christmas" Dept...

 

[Nrthwnd]

The Season Pass deal is over, so good luck with the regular cost.

 

And ^^^ Where Is THE CAT??? I have tried and tried to find 'it',

but so far, no good. Is 'cat' a term for something else? ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRgh!

 

(This feels so Charlie Brown.)

The new bumpers are called "Rock-N-Cars". Okaaaay.

[BigBomer]

^Look at the bumper car on the lighter stack of wood in Laura's photo to find the cat...

[cal1br3tto]

Beat me to it! I never got any personal pics of it, so I would still be second-guessing myself to this day if I didn't spot a random Facebook comment about it--he is a bit camouflaged there.

[Nrthwnd]

^^ and ^ Ok. Found 'it'. Now I know what you meant, lol.

I thought you meant an actual cat somewhere on the cars.

But the 'paws' clued me in, now.

 

Whew! I wasn't going crazy here.

(Well, not my usual crazy, heh.)

[Nrthwnd]

Playland opens for it's season, this coming Saturday.

 

New ride - Bumper Cars.

 

Woo hoo. Can't wait.

But THIS is what I'm really going back, for. Mmmm. (Pic from joyrides.com - Thanks!)

[Nrthwnd]

Went to the Opening Day of Playland's 2014 Season....

 

Yeah, well, it happened, I was there, and I got my rides on Coaster.

 

Not much really to tell. No welcoming speeches, no bands or cute girls (guys?) doing

cheerleader type welcoming spectacles. Not even their mascot showing up!.... they just....opened.

 

Got my season's pass, which true to form, "took some time", as somebody is always new at this,

and computer systems can get cranky at times..... I am only glad I was first in line for this time.

 

Here's some pix from Opening Day.....

But yes - that's the ONLY reason to come to Playland. To ride Coaster.

Here's the entrance to the park. It was pretty overcast that day,

with chances of rain. Really not much of a crowd.

The new attraction. Bumper cars with a fast car theme. Meh.

It's honestly a more blinged up version of the (darker) bumper cars here before.

View of my park, from the SkyWheel.

Can't miss the Bumper Cars Bldg. now.

Notice the amazingly HUGE CROWD that showed up today.

Red train heading up the hill. It's there, under the flags over the middle of the lift hill... Yeah!

AtmosFEAR is still a great addition to the park.

Haunted Mansion walk-thru has new relatives, outside.

Here's one of them. I like to think of this one as "carefree".

The other, a bit more intensely inviting. HAPPY OPENING DAY, PLAYLAND!

[Nrthwnd]

On one of my return weekend visits to the park since opening weekend,

I took more photos of the park's Brand New Attraction....Rock 'N' Cars.

 

And a sign photo for you, Larry. Sorry I can't get it lit at night. Yet.

That won't happen until the PNE, late August.

Everybody having at it. Lots of back lights on the cars now. That's...something.

Here's the sign. There's also a ride op's butt wedged in there, above the -N-. Yeah....

And now for something completely different. I hadn't noticed this on the wave swinger before, but....

It's built by a Schwarzkopf! Probably not related to "that coaster guy".

From a distance.

Closer still. I like the colours and overlay of the cover itself, but after that...still a bumper cars.

[robbalvey]

Was a good time this morning at the film shoot! Thanks to everyone who showed up!

[Nrthwnd]

Here's a few more non-riding-coaster shots I took, before we all climbed aboard Coaster

and screamed ourselves silly!

 

Thanks Robb and Elissa, for organizing this morning shoot on Coaster and (sighs) The Corkscrew.

And Thank You to the Playland coaster ride ops for really hauling butt, getting that Coaster train

(and the Corkscrew train) through the station.

Everybody arriving for the shoot - at 8:30 in the morning! This IS Early for me, retired as I am. (o;

Elissa chatting with Tom.

Robb and Elissa doing their cameras set-up thing.

The Group Shot. Nice meeting all you guys. It was great fun.

Edited May 18, 2014 by Nrthwnd

[BCTom]

It was a lot of fun and nice to meet some people. Thanks for the opportunity!

[Owl_Enthusiast]

It was a fun way to start the long weekend! I can't wait to see it on YouTube later

[robbalvey]

I watched the footage of the girls on the rider cam. There is some SERIOUS stand-up hair time in that footage! Should have it online in a couple of weeks.

[loop-de-loop]

I watched the footage of the girls on the rider cam. There is some SERIOUS stand-up hair time in that footage! Should have it online in a couple of weeks.

Can't wait to see it!

[Nrthwnd]

Here's some photos I took in Playland, last weekend.

 

I think my biggest, latest surprise, after actually looking around a bit,.

was the grilled cheese place Cheese Please. I did not know it existed,

until this visit. And the add-ons look great, too.

 

And it also made me think - I have never seen such a theme park food place

anywhere in my TPR world tour travels, that I remember. Which then

makes me ask...are these grilled cheese sandwich stalls any where else in

the world? In any parks, theme or non-? I can't remember, lol. I do know there's

a food truck in the city, that sells grilled cheese sands. So......?

 

Next visit... A Playland Food TR... on their grilled cheese sandwich place, CHEESE PLEASE!

The entrance to Playland, with that wonderful scenic background, there.

Looking at Coaster from the SkyWheel.

Newly renovated Music Express! I was Surprised! This wasn't announced for the season, as it was mainly a

removal-and-repaint job. The cars have been painted in a black and white theme. With red lights.

Another view of it. They took out the middle flat piece that hung down and created a "tunnel" at the back of it.

That's the 'removal' part. Now it's gone, and you can see the entire ride, front and back. And it looks great!

A far shot with Crazy Beach Party in action, in it's final year, here at Playland.

New attraction replacing it, next season!

My money shot of AtmosFEAR. From the SkyWheel. Hellevator surge (?) tower on the right, there.

A look from the park's merry-go-round. It's relaxing and provides a few good shots for me

here and there. The Tea Cups aren't exactly "Disney style teacups" but the families enjoys them

Our old Vekoma Corkscrew still chuggin' along.. And it actually wasn't bad, and fairly (dare I say) smooth,

when we filmed yesterday, with TPR. I was surprised.

And if ya gotta go - this is in the kids area of the park. I love the themeing of it.

This is in the Kids Playce of Playland, too. Kids like grilled cheese sandwiches? Still??? omg...

The Menu. Looks adventurous, especially for the parents, LOL! Definitely worth a look-see-eat next time, LOL!

Last look before I leave, with a great view of AtmosFEAR, and the mountains in back.

Edited May 23, 2014 by Nrthwnd

[loop-de-loop]

Any idea of what attraction or how big it will be that's replacing Crazy Beach Party?

[Nrthwnd]

Am pretty sure it's this kind of flat.

 

Called an XXL?

Not a great photo of it, but it gives you

the idea of what's coming next year.