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Magic41445

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Everything posted by Magic41445

  1. That would explain it. As a technician I know that the worst thing that can happen is an unexpected surge or drop out of power....and of course a lighting strike is on a completely different level. Hopefully it’s not too costly and complicated of an issue.
  2. The automated theming elements of MT have been down for the past few days. It looks as if they have managed to at least default one of the projectors in the shed to something while the other is not receiving a feed. Does anyone know of the cause and when it may back up? As much as the the what goes on in the shed can be anti climatic, we don’t realize how much it can add to the experience until it’s non existent. Lol I even miss the prompt to not go in the shed on the lift hill.
  3. I'm beyond ecstatic to hear classical music on IS again. Icing on the cake would be if Khachaturian's Sabre dance has also made it's way to the playlist. It's amazing what you can remember from your childhood, and I can definitely remember this from the KI of the 80s.
  4. I think that instead of having a flat projection, MT should incorporate a more modern projection technique like projection mapping and/or projection on a fog screen like Pirates of the Caribbean, making it seem as if the images are floating in mid air.
  5. Well first off, I've been a long time member but it's been quite a while since I last posted...though I visit almost daily to look at the various threads, inlcuding the monster that has become the "Diamondback Construction Thread". So I'm not sure if this observation has been noted but I felt compelled to see if anyone else has noticed a possibly overt or inovert resemblence of the entrance pathway as being that of a snake's tongue.
  6. I love the clown band as well and am glad to hear that all of the original members will be back....but if memory serves me right I believe that they were an acrobatic bunch so it will be interesting to see how acrobatic they are now
  7. So for the longest there has been a sign saying that on ride video is soon to come for FOF leaving me to believe that maybe it was a mistake or it would never happen. Suddenly, on my way to Firehawk, I discovered that it is finally here. It really is an amazing piece of technology relative to the other antiquated image capturing devices at the park. While riding you wonder how it can ever be able to capture given the lack of light on the ride, but it uses night vision. The end product is amazing and though it's a bit pricey at 20 dollars for one DVD, it can prove to be a priceless souveneir especially for those first time riders.
  8. I can actually remember the season before last when it was almost tradition for the ops to ask the riders of the last train on what was preferable...light on, off, or half and half. I typically prefered half and half...it was great to ride the ride in the dark and then at the break run slowly have the lights power up...and vice versa. But as of recently that tradition has kind of fallen by the wayside.
  9. I actually rode it on the same day when the lights were on...the final ride before fireworks shut down. I have to say that I kind of like the lights on..it adds a diffent dimention to the ride for those of us who have riden it countless times. It's like riding FOF with the lights on..a behind the scenes look if you will. In addition it's fun and funny to see who are the brave souls that can trully keep their hands up through the entire tunnel at night
  10. I'm friends with the stage manager of the PT, and we had kind of an interesting discussion about the show. A lot of what makes a good show vs. a not so good show is how the crowd reacts to it. When the crowd is alive the excitement spreads like the plague and inherently makes more people have fun. A problem that's persistent with Endless Summer (which it in a way succeeded School of Rock) is that people aren't sure how they are supposed to act during the show. When a skater puts on a good performance, it seems as though people want to clap, but are afraid that it's inappropriate. Obviously you know that I attended the rehearsals to make the update for the site, but I also made a special trip up to the park to see the final product. The biggest thing that I noticed was that people were basically sitting on their hands during the first act of the show. A few people began to clap during the duet part of the camp scene, which opened the flood gates to applaud in the NASCAR scene. After that, it dropped off again. I kind of theorize that people were afraid that their reaction was inappropriate for the show, so when it got "out of hand" everyone stopped. I noticed a bit about the quality of the audio too, which was something I brought up with the manager. It really wasn't loud enough at the beginning of the show. I sat immediately behind the sound board, and could hear the skates strike the ice during the opening number, which I don't think is appropriate for that style of show. The sound did get much better as the course of the show went on. I'm not sure how that pans out. Oh, and trust me -- the Paramount Theatre... it gets loud... LOUD... and with amazing quality too. The problem isn't with the equipment. May I ask you what you would have done different for an opener? Comparing any amusement park show to Broadway, by the way, is really inappropriate. Not that I'm accusing you of doing that really.. Let's be honest, having the "best" show in a seasonal amusement park is like being the tallest midget. I honestly think that there's something really special about KI's entertainment department which makes me keep coming back. I must admit that I saw School of Rock dozens of times... I really couldn't get enough of that show. I'll probably see this show far more than once too. I have nothing but the utter most faith in the entertainment department at our park. I agree with you in terms of the effects aplause has on a performance...it also translates into better performances from the actors when they know that the crowd is backing them. At the performance I attended I also sat behind the audio board and noticed several occasions where (insert name and position) had to initiate aplause. Perhaps in time it will improve as those who return to see the show again will know what to expect. I also observed that certain tracks within the mix were of better audio quality then the others...so if that is the cause, it would be nice if they can remix the soundtrack paying more attention that all tracks match the quality of the best track in the mix. And yes a quick remedy for now would be to most definately boost the audio level..that can also translate into the audience getting more involved in the show. In terms of what I would do differently for the show open...I would probably redo the announce and incorporate a talent that has more resonance and enthusiasm. For me the show didnt really didn't hit its stride untill they danced to what I believe was "Lets get it started". The choreography before that, during the opening, seemed a bit painful to watch and was a bit lack luster as it didn't seem to be that contemporary. But if I were to completely redo the opening I might have each skater open with a jump. Granted you do not want them to show their best stuff in the opening, but something in between would be enough to wet the palets of the audience....and couple that with maybe dramatic fog and lighting as they enter center stage to produce a wow factor. And no I wasnt comparing this show to broadway shows...that wouldnt be fair. I was just making a point that some of my observations could be a bit nit picky as a result of my exposure.
  11. Well I was a student of theatrical arts in college and have attended many broadway shows like Wicked and Phantom of the Opera in NYC..so my attention to detail may be heightened moreso than a typical parkgoer who just wants to escape from the heat. So I would say that it was a decent show for it to be in an amusement park. I personally love a big opening..something to grab the audience from the start..and I didn't feel that the show accomplished that objective with the lack luster announce of the performers and dance routine. As mentioned before, some of the transitions were a bit painful to watch. From a performance standpoint I felt that there was really only one standout...the guy who played the nerdy looking guy reminded me of the classic routines of Scott Hamilton. Something that really bugged me was the quality of the audio. I do not know if the board op was inexperienced or if it was the result of a bad recording of the soundtrack...but it seemed hollow, lacking bass and feeling. Technically speaking what stood out the most and was a major improvement from years past was the lighting. The extent of automated lighting for past shows were outdated reflectors. I was impressed to see that they spent money revamping their arsenal of automated lights which makes a big difference.
  12. Yes media day is usually specifically for media organizations to get b-roll or footage to add to voiceovers, and info on the ride. It's the parks way of getting free publicity. But i can recall a select few who were rolletcoaster enthusists and maybe a few from this site.
  13. So will there be a media day coming up soon for Firehawk? If so I can't wait to see what they have in store...the last media day i attended was for IJST and they had limos that took us back to the ride, a stunt show, and dinner. So just wondering if they could have the same fanfare or top it.
  14. First off I noticed an increase or much more of a visible presence in security. In an instance that has never happened to me in the 25+ years I've been going, a security officer aproached my car as I was eating lunch and talking on the phone just to see if I was ok. There were other guys on bikes as well patroling the season pass parking area..perhaps looking for something that was reported or just being friendly. I also noticed alot of saftey precautions with the new ownership..like new seatbelts on seemingly every ride, several wooden boards over the original metal gates that lead to the ride area on the Adventure Express (perhaps to protect little ones from getting into the area), and new fencing around the track of The Beast. The park seems to be much cleaner and I don't know if its me but there seems to be more garbage cans around the park. Perhaps its the new logo on every can that draws my attention to them. The new uniforms are interesting. The supervisors on each ride (even female) wear ties making them look very professional. Odly enough most ride ops still have the old paramount parks shirts..perhaps waiting for the new shirts to arrive. And ironically enough its those with the least desirable of jobs that have the best uniforms with the street sweepers wearing bright yellow or greenish button up shirts. In terms of music there is a noticeable abscence of movie scores. And on Q-tv it was initially a bit shocking to see old favorites replaced by Huey Louis videos lol. And finally in a small but welcomed change, they have removed the fencing that separated the entry and exit area of The Beast alowing for quick turnarounds on slow days.
  15. Usually in the days leading to opening day there is some talk of the dry run day. So has it already happened, and if not will it be tomorrow given that it's the day before opening day, and lastly... in addition to park employees and friends..who else are able to attend?
  16. Actually some of my fondest memories of visiting the park in the 80s was the music when I was young. The classical music really added to the experience and it resonated with me to a point that I've developed a fondnest to it since it reminds me of my visits as a child. I can't believe that I remember this but a particular favorite of mine was the "Sabre Dance". PS We should also petition to bring back the clown band =o)
  17. Delirium was actually working on Fri. It worked untill I entered the cue....it seemed as if at the end of its ride cycle it lost power or functionality causing it to swing loosley back and forth. It seemed as if this has happened before on the same day...I observed one of the ride opps throwing his hands up as if he was thinking "not again", and the engineer was resting his head on the op board for which I assume was not because he was tired. So yeah I think that there are major problems with the ride..and its a shame given that I was really looking forward to riding it.
  18. I actually happen to work at Local 12 and am glad to know that someone is watching lol. But yeah it was a very hot topic in the studio with everyone believing that drop zone is the scariest. Though based upon our key demographic which are typically those who are quite a bit older than we are, I'm thinking that there should be a bit of a difference between our results and you website's? As of the noon newscast The Beast was the front runner....see what I mean =o).
  19. If you are a college graduate, I'd set my sights higher. The pay for supervisors in most departments isn't high. And college is hardly ever a requirement for supervisor positions, or even for management positions. Yeah I know that the pay is not quite up to par with other managerial jobs. I actually already have a full time job and was thinking that if there was one place for which I wanted to make a little extra money then why not do it at PKI. After all, this will probably be my very last year that I'll have an opp to apply.
  20. Are there any management or supervisor positions open for college graduates or is it purely based upon seniority?
  21. This is indeed quite a shock. Not only does everything that everyone else mentioned hold true for me, but he also had a big influence on my educational and professional career as well. I once e-mailed him for help in obtaining raw footage of the park for my video production class. To my surprise, he alowed me to have access to IS during the dead of winter to obtain whatever I needed. And with that project added to my portfolio I was able to land a job with a local news affiliate. On media day for the IJST it seemed as if everything came full circle when I met up with him again as a true member of the media. Jeff will indeed be missed and I wish him and his family luck in Texas. Hopefully we might be able to work together again in some capacity.
  22. It almost sounds as if you believe that this particular pass is a season pass to Winterfest..however to my knowledge I think that season pass holders only receive an eight dollar discount to the event. If i'm wrong then that would indeed be a very pleasant surprise.
  23. I've actually been stuck twice this year on both the Face Off and IJST. I've always heard of instances when Face Off failed to catch on the second lift hill and subsequently volleys due to lack of momemtum..but never did I think that I would be apart of it. We were stuck for about a half hour and had to be manually released from our harnesses individually. Afterwards we were taken down by a lift. And yes we all received exit passes. In terms of IJST, this actually happened yesterday...we ran through the ride but were unabe to exit due to the car in the station failing to initialize. That was about a 15 min wait...no exit passes.
  24. I was present for the IJST media preview where they also had skydivers..I wonder if they used the same divers for the 4th.
  25. I personally feel that the IJ is at its best at night....the lines are short, and the effects seem to be more effective given that they are more visible at night. I agree that it is not the most thrilling ride in the park, but when all of the the effects are working properly and the wait is between 15-20 min, you have a pretty effective ride. And as of lately I have been very pleased with the all of the effects working properly. Though I would like to see more fog as you enter the tunnel...at times there is no where near as much fog as was once present during the technical rehersals. And secondly, I have pretty much given up hope on experiencing the simulated stair effect...I actually had the privledge to ride IJ with a couple of guys who were in charge of the audio for the ride and I later found out that this effect will probably never work right. According to them, they felt that it was a poorly designed ride given that in order for the effect to work properly the audio would have to be boosted to an almost intolerable level for anyone to feel the effect. So yes that is a bit disappointing. But on the bright side we are almost halfway through the summer which brings us even closer to the announcement of next years new ride..so enjoy IJ for what it is and cross your fingers so that maybe our wish will be granted for next year.
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