Playland/PNE (Vancouver) Discussion Thread

[Nrthwnd]

^ Thanks for posting the article. It has been so many, many years with all this rumor

and speculation about "what's happening to Playland and the PNE." I just hope this new plan

does go forward. Playland has been way too much of a "parking lot midway" all these years.

Unfortunately for myself, if and when this whole thing is finished, I'll be near 80, if not older!

 

The Game of Thrones Exhibit at the PNE, will certainly bring fans through the turnstiles,

considering it was a separate upcharge exhibit in Toronto, etc.

 

(EDIT To Add: The PNE will run from August 16 - September 01.)

 

http://www.pne.ca/thefair/exhibits-and-attractions/game-of-thrones-the-exhibition.html

I have never seen the GoT series. But this exhibit of costumes, and concept art looks interesting.

Will check it out when the PNE happens, late August. Lineups pending, ha ha. (o;

[Nrthwnd]

~ The 2014 PNE (Pacific National Exhibition) Visit ~

 

Here's my report on how my "one day only" visit went, to our annual fair and exhibition, The PNE.

I got there very early (Aug.27), before the gates opened, so that I would have a good start at one

of the main attractions at this year's fair. Game of Thrones, the series a lot of fans fave

currently, had a touring exhibit (through North America, ending here at the PNE) of props,

costumes, stills from the series...even an In Memoriam wall, which I thought was nice.

 

I got there right at the opening, did the tour of the exhibit, then continued out into the fair itself,

checking out the food stalls, other exhibits, the farm animals, Playland, all of it.

 

However, I didn't ride anything while there. Our season pass does not cover the rides during the fair,

and then it's an Up-the-upcharge for them, either as an all day pass, separate tickets, evening pass.

And the waits for the regular park rides are usually 3-5 times as long to wait for them, than as

walk-ons during Playland's own season. I wish the PNE would do that for us Playland pass holders.

Give us a discount for the PNE ride pass, upon showing our season pass card. Possible? I hope so,

eventually.

 

Here's the photos from my day there... (Actually over 9 hours spent there, which was a record for me!)

The major info pamphlet for the Fair.

Which included this main page for Game of Thrones Exhibit - this was free,

included in the park admission!

Arriving at the main entrance to the PNE, corner of E.Hastings and Renfrew St.

Yep. Definitely here.

After buying the ticket, now in the entry queue. We're let in at 10:30; fair 'officially' opens at 11.

Noted.

A reminder of where we are.

Where the Game of Thrones Exhibit resides. And the opening queue for it. Interesting PNE Trivia: This bldg.

was originally called the Garden Auditorium, and we saw our first PINK FLOYD concert here in..... mid-1970's?

A POPular culture tv phenom, becomes POP culture itself.

Beautiful costumes, up close.

Quotes 'n Stills from the series.

Is that a d-d-d-dragon up there?

This is the "Fur Era" of the series, yes?

Theme Park map? No. Definitely not.

"Ascend the Wall" ~ Virtually!

The In Memoriam Wall. Who was YOUR favorite death? (o;

The Next Season Wall ~ No spoilers give out, I suspect.

Then, through the hastily assembled "Gift Shop"...and I'm out of it! (more pix to follow...)

Oh, right. Forgot "The Iron Throne" shot. (o; Enjoy.

Edited September 10, 2014 by Nrthwnd

[PKI Jizzman]

That's awesome! Love Game of Thrones. If it went to Kings Island I would totally go, but if it was a standalone ..probably not.

[Nrthwnd]

^ Well, this was the last stop on this exhibit's tour. But - there are more photos I took of the exhibit,

on the Game of Thrones Thread, here at TPR....

 

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=67641&p=1498137#p1498137

 

I put the majority of the photos there. With a 'different' Iron Throne photo too, lol.

[Nrthwnd]

Here's some more photos taken, after my jog through the Game of Thrones Exhibit...

Our "Showcase." Meaning everything and anything you saw "As Seen on TV"...is probably here.

Looking towards an outdoors band shell (sort of) for day and night acts/shows/concerts at the fair.

What was sand castles last year - is.... uh...what are these, this year?

Oh. Of course! What else could they be!

They looked okay. Still, the yarn around the sheep looked creepy. But around the corner here...

True Eco-Art! And a harp!

Another one 'in flight' with a cello, I hope. Great display.

So now I went looking through the Fair Map... uh.....

Yarn Bombing???

Sop I went and found it.

Yarn Bombing. And I have concerns there is a convention for it, coming up.

This looked promising, the caterpillar did.

But the rest of it was just swatches and knits around tree trunks. Or hanging up, somehow.

I was hoping for more animals, etc. But - the actual park is also usually un-crowded with all the

craziness going on that is PNE, and it is a real oasis for peace of mind - and wallet, lol!

Edited February 12, 2015 by Nrthwnd

[Nrthwnd]

More photos, including some shots of the city food carts that took up residence at The Fair, and a show called "Timber" that wasn't really much about lumber jack contests and more about dance routines. Here...

Looking down the actual main walkway between the front of the fair and Playland.

The annual Prize Home they were giving away this year. Looked nice. I didn't win it. )o:

City food carts were all over the fair site. Certainly looked easier than setting up a stall, etc.

Then there were a few food trucks who liked to Really Take Up Space!

A second grill cheese sand stall, the other in Playland. Now why would people want to pay big bucks for a

grilled cheese sandwich? Even with "special toppings" in them? Beats me...

The queue slowly lengthens through the day for the Game of Thrones Exhibit.

Cool! A lumberjack contest show. Little did I know it be little more than one big dance number....with wood cutting.

Great! Somebody's cutting wood! But notice, he's not alone - and they didn't much except dance around

the piano, and pose. Eeeha.

Speaking of dance numbers... all together or in groups.... yeah.

Finally, something the logger gets to do on his own!

Followed by...This contest involved using a blonde to help cut a slice of wood off the log.

Another solo cutting contest.

I got bored of the 'shindig,' and started looking beyond where we were sitting.

BTW, these are two of the extra rides brought in for Playland expansion during the fair.

One is a down-sized star flyer. The other a down-sized drop tower. woo hoo.

This logger and another, made little chairs for a couple of kids in the audience, which was nice.

Yipee~i~yay! - a single log rolling contest. Better than nothing.

And eventually, somebody falls in - and loses, lol.

I look up and am amazed we have such a beaitful backdrop to this fair.

The Timber Show ends, guys with their gals. But these two guys look a mite interested in each other, eh?

[Nrthwnd]

Before I get into showing the photos I took in Playland during The Fair, I have this to say to whoever owns and runs Playland. If this Future Plans announcement is going to bear any real change for the park - may I first suggest an easy part? That being, tear up any and all walkways, the pedestrian traffic walks on, through out the park. Anything (i.e. the rides, the arcade) sitting on asphalt, will remain so. And from that, a landscaping around each ride will be built. Buy the good walkway stuff that the Disney and Universal companies would buy, for their parks. And probably do buy. This park has looked way too much like the "parking lot" look it still appears to be after all these decades, with the asphalt every where.

 

Please consider this, and thanks for reading it. A long time visitor to Playland. 9 year season pass holder

This stays put. Thankfully.

[Nrthwnd]

Photos taken in Playland...

Interesting, that this 'map' of Playland in the PNE Guide, actually looks pretty close

to what Playland looks like! Even the coasters are right. And the brought-in rides for

the fair, are beyond the borders of this map, lol.

Nothing beats a shot of Coaster.

They reinstalled the ACE Landmark plaque.

This still makes me smile. And it's still fillable, too! (o;

Two down-sized versions of the drop tower and star flyer, brought in for The Fair.

One of two fun houses brought in. Both pretty old, and only really fun for the kids, if that.

The other fun house. I would seriously love to have a couple of trailered dark rides brought

in for this fair. But that never seems to happen, any more. )o:

And how many parks spend the money, to let you know a flat ride is leaving the park?

Crazy Beach Party. The ride that's leaving.

What it does.

I always enjoyed a ride on it. Sorry it's leaving.

Playland overhead shot, during the PNE. That's it. The park's all there.

[Nrthwnd]

Final shots of the PNE, mostly of the Mystic India show, that had dancing of all types,

including Bollywood, taking everybody through a history on India, as it was. Entertaining,

and exhaustive, watching the dancers tearing into every number. The first part of it was

on a stage far far away from us in the audience. Then it moved to the main floor and was great!

 

Got some ribs at the BBQ cook-off, then me and David headed home.

First, a visit to the barns and seeing these magnificent Belgian (?) horses.

The stage and floor area in the Pacific Coliseum at the PNE, for "Mystic India" show.

The audience. It's a free show, included with admission, so why not?

On the stage, the show begins.

Lots of colourful costumes and flashy, energetic dancing.

This number starts on the stage...

...Then moves to the main floor. With drum guys!

A level above, what is already take-your-breath-away dancing!

Now it's back to the stage.

How the stage looked, from where I was sitting.

One number featured black light costumes.

It was fun.

The guys got their legs shown off, pretty nicely. (o;

End of the show, bows.

Final Bye Bye to the audience.

Final shot at The Fair. AtmosFEAR star flyer on the other side of the grounds. Till next year, PNE! (o:

[Nrthwnd]

I just popped over to Playland yesterday, after the PNE had shut down for the year.

And who did I run into, but a regular TPR Tour friend of mine, Karl! He

was up here from the States. To marathon Coaster several times. Then, back

to the USA!

 

But just before he left, we ran into each other! Cool!

Here's my (somewhat okay) selfie of me and him....

Me and Karl. Man, I am so short! The taller more suave looking, is Karl there.

[Nrthwnd]

I went to Playland yesterday, and checked out how their prep was going along

for the upcoming Fright Nights at the park. There are seven haunt houses

this year, but I manged to photograph/find only five. Hmmm. Am going back

tomorrow, Playland's lasy day of it's season, and find the other two, lol.

 

The list of Haunt Houses goes like this:

 

Haunted mansion (the park's permanent walk through)

Asylum

Darkness

Fear

Car-N-Evil

Keepers Doll Factory (the new one this year)

Hollywood Horrors

 

Tickets for Fright Nights go on sale, on Monday. http://www.pne.bc.ca/

The entrance to the park, redone for Fright Nights. More will be added, too.

A Welcome sign. Last year's, there was 'smoke' every where! It even filtered out to the street, lol!

Coaster's getting ready for the Nights. This is the unload part of Coaster's station.

This guy is an annual 'regular' to Fright Nights. He rises and lowers, and that's it.

This haunt, Darkness, has the most queueing space available of all the haunts, so they

make good use of it here, from entrance to the haunt itself.

The entrance gate to the Darkness haunt.

Stuff every where, for now.

The haunt itself, in back.

I couldn't figure out all the names of the haunts, but I am guessing this one could be Fear.

And this one makes me think of Asylum.

Not sure of this one. But it looks like it could be the Doll Factory.

Good old Haunted Mansion. The up charge (during park times) gets included with Fright Nights.

Part of the HM's queue set up.

[Nrthwnd]

Last day today, of Playland's season.....yuk!

 

Crowded, thousands of schoolkids, hot, and I got only one ride in,

not even on Coaster.

 

As this was the last day of it's season, this was also the last day kids had free

before heading back to school, after a long teachers' strike that lasted three

weeks into September.

 

So, it was slow going, and I stayed just a short while. But I did pick up the

flyer for Fright Nights they were handing out at Customer Service.

 

Only three weeks to go!

 

EDIT to Add: I totally forgot! While checking the place out for Fright Nights stuff, I came across the sign above an area that said The Sanitarium BAR. Booze, woo hoo!

 

Mob scene at Coaster queue. And they ran only one train! This was as bad as the PNE crowds!

The Fright Nights flyer.

And the back of it.

[Nrthwnd]

Woo hoo! Just bought my FastPass ticket to Fright Nights!

I'm going on Wednesday, Oct.22. Anybody else from the Vancouver

area (or beyond?) interested in joining me that night's visit? The

ticket is non-refundable and no rain checks given out, too. This

night runs from 7pm-midnight.

 

The current plan is to meet around 8 pm at the bus stop to the

left of the Playland entrance. Then, get into the queue at the gate.

 

 

(EDIT to add: And treat this like something in a TPR Tour - Buy the FastPass ticket. It'll be worth the extra $ )

Fresh off the printer! (o:

Edited October 22, 2014 by Nrthwnd

[Nrthwnd]

Just so ya know...I'll have one of the TPR Tour Backpacks on,

for easy spotting. Not that having totally grey hair, long, and tied back

in a pony tail wouldn't hurt, either. *

 

 

 

 

 

*Wednesday, Oct.22 - 8:00pm

Which bag to take to Fright Night? Not sure yet.

Edited October 22, 2014 by Nrthwnd

[Nrthwnd]

Just found a link to a recent local article about a "13 year plan",

with $80 million being pumped into Playland's Future...

 

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/commercial-real-estate/million+overhaul+will+modernize+expand/10188606/story.html?__lsa=6e94-c275

 

Great. I'll be 74 when this is all finished up. Oh well, better later than never-er.

Had posted this pic before, but this is what's replacing Crazy Beach Party next year.

[Nrthwnd]

Our Fright Nights plans now, are to meet at 8 pm at the bus stop,

to the left of Playland's entrance. With our FastPass tix in hand.

 

Tomorrow night - Wed.Oct.22 - Don't forget your theme park rain ponchos!

[LuminousAphid]

Hey all you park-starved Pacific Northwesterners, I was just looking over the websites of our (few) area parks, and saw this little teaser on the PNE website:

That made me do a quick search, and it looks like it might be a flat from KMG (who I have never heard of), similar to Silverwood's Spin Cycle, but doesn't go upside-down. So, like a giant frisbee, but facing inward, I guess? This is what's rumored, anyway.

http://www.kmg.nl/kmg/factory/xxl_en.html

 

This is disappointing, because from the "beast" line on the website, I was expecting something more... beastly. I really wish there was any hope of a park around here investing in a world-class coaster, but it doesn't seem likely. The sad part is, there is so much money in the Seattle/Vancouver area, but no one wants to risk investing with a park only to have it fail. Therefore no one tries, and we continue to be bored every summer, even though I feel like an indoor park would do really well around here.

 

(credit to screamscape.com for the rumor)

[Nrthwnd]

Just noticed this, in Playland's website (as they are now advertising next year's pass available)...

 

...Our awesome holiday offer is back for a limited time! From now through December 24, you can save up to $20 on a Playland Season PlayPass. Playland Season PlayPass holders will receive UNLIMITED access to over 30 rides and attractions including a brand new extreme thrill ride, THE BEAST. Plus Crazy Beach Party will be back in a new location!

 

Uh...wtf? They were saying bye-bye to CBP in a poster posted during Playland's regular hours, so...?

 

Guess they changed their minds about getting rid of it. Or "the GP spoke" and they listened. Hmmm.

And this is the sign that said so.

[Nrthwnd]

2015 Annual PlayPass to Playland(PNE) is available now till the 24th, with $20 off the regular cost.

Although I must note, usually after Dec.24, then it's still offered a couple of weeks into January.

 

Then again, they may change their minds, and the offer only stands until the 24th.

And like the dumb thinking holiday ornament I am, I get my pass before the 24th.

 

http://www.pne.ca Ho ho ho!

What the XXL is being called, when Playland opens on Saturday, May 16th.

[Nrthwnd]

Just gave myself the 2015 Season Pass, online! Now I am set for next Spring.

 

And as I figured (Dec.29 now), the offer has now been extended a couple of weeks,

expiring on January 19th.

[Nrthwnd]

A friend just emailed me a photo of the Playland area, circa 1977.

 

You can see the mountains in the background. The Asteroid entrance, is actually the entry

to an observation tower the park used to have, now gone. Same goes for the overhead

skyride. Taken out several years ago. The boarded up EAT restaurant is now a White

Spot. And what looks to be a FunHouse behind the EAT, is now gone, too.

Playland has always had the benefit of your being able to see our mountains on the North Shore, while there.

[Nrthwnd]

Recent photos on Playland's FACEBOOK page, show the foundation for The Beast, poured and set.

 

AND - reminder it's a only a few more days till the Season Pass offer ends (save $20).

Second poured foundation in the park's recent history. Before this, AtmosFEAR had it's foundation made

in the ground, too. So moving these around in the future, will be tough. But they won't look like total

midway rides, ready to (still) pick up and move, either.

And Music Express is being moved so that Crazy Beach party can move there!

And the scrambler is still missing! Confused? We all find out what's where, in May. (o;

And as it is posted on the park's Blog: "Special delivery all the way from Germany. We’ll be

busy getting this installed on Crazy Beach Party once it’s settled in its new home in Playland."

[Nrthwnd]

Even in the rain, the move goes on...

 

(Photo thanks to PNE Blog)

Crazy Beach Party is moved over to it's new spot in Playland. More or less. So far. (o;

[KingOfNynex2003]

For those of you wondering what the new ride Playland is getting, it's the Giant Frisbee by HUSS, hopefully they won't butcher it like they did with the Crazy Beach Party, course they did kind of redeem themselves by making the ride time for Atmosfear decent, I think it's still at around the 2.5-3 minute mark from the time your feet leave the ground till the time they touch back down.

[Nrthwnd]

^ I thought it was an XXL Playland was getting, and installing where Beach Party was?

Not a Giant Frisbee, but an XXL coming to Playland...yes? No?