bkroz

Alien Encounter was horrifying and an absolute fan-favorite. I continue to make the case that if it had opened at Disneyland and not Walt Disney World (as was originally the case), it would still be a beloved E-ticket attraction today. If you're interested, I'm currently writing an In-Depth series for Theme Park Tourist that chronicles the history of long-long attractions, and my feature on Alien Encounter - what it was, what it was like, and why it closed - is one of my favorites. I would implore you to read the comments, too.

Beasttamer, it would be great if you'd edit your original post, got into the full editor, and change the topic title to include a "?" or use a clearer title like "Will DC Comics ever come to Cedar Fair?" I came here astounded, expecting that this was an announcement or a press release since the topic title is worded as such. Welcome to KIC!

One thing is certain: I am still absolutely bamboozled that this park – counted as a destination park with worldwide recognition – doesn't have a single dark ride. And now, it has one less theater, too. It's just unbelievable to me, to be very honest with you. Not a single ride that gets you in out of the heat. Practically no restaurants that do, either. And show venues are all very small. At Kings Island, you've got Flight of Fear, Boo Blasters, Festhaus, Kings Island Theater (and at one time, also Tomb Raider, Action Theater, and more). At Cedar Point, you've got the all-you-can-eat-buffet and a few small show venues. Totally unimaginable to me. Roller coaster after roller coaster after roller coaster, all day long. When friends ask me to go, I typically decline. It's just an exhausting, long, hot day of world record after world record. At least for me, having grown up a few hours away and visiting often, I would like something more. And when I have kids, I don't expect Cedar Point would be on my radar at all. No place to slow down or cool down or be a family. Just... crazy!

That's the thing... if a winter event is done correctly, it's NOT "dealing with an event during the off-season." Instead, it becomes part of the season!

That's one of the brilliant things on Universal's end. The contract (from what I gather from a casual reading... or as casual as contract reading can be) permits Universal to use certain characters (Hulk, Spider-Man, Captain America, Fantastic 4, etc) and any other characters who can be reasonably connected to those characters. But with the expansion of the Marvel [Cinematic] Universe, it's hard to make a case for ANY character not being at least tangentially connected to one of "Universal's." Guardians is a great example. It's like a "Six Degrees of Captain America" game. The Guardians of the Galaxy once met Thanos who had an Infinity Stone given to Loki who fought the Avengers which includes Captain America. Even though Universal's Island doesn't use Iron Man, Iron Man is connected to Captain America via the Avengers so he's a no-go too. As the Universe expands, it also gets smaller and further limits Disney's use, Weird.

If so, not a new strategy for operators.

^^ Disney can advertise the Marvel movies in the parks. And in fact, it's in their best interest to do so. But when Guardians of the Galaxy was given a sneak peek at Epcot, it and its poster were presented without the Marvel logo. The same attraction at Disneyland did not omit the logo.

That's not how it works. A contract is a contract. Disney being the parent company of Marvel doesn't change the pre-existing deal, which grants Universal the right to the characters in perpetuity - that is, for an indefinite amount of time, or forever. What CAN happen, to my understanding, is that when Universal's option to extend that contract arrives, Disney can decide to charge more. When the agreement is due for renewal though... not when Disney no longer sees fit to allow their use. By the way, Disney makes bank on Marvel through merchandising, entertainment, and - yes - through Universal's licensing payment. That Marvel is absent from one of the company's resorts is probably not a fatal blow to Disney's bottom line. After all, think of what they've done with Marvel in the parks where they CAN use it: a meet-and-greet, and a still-upcoming motion simulator. Think about it this way: Disney can earn $X each year from Universal's licensing of Marvel OR Disney can spend $Y hoping that it'll lead to $Z in revenue for the parks. It may very well be that X > Z - Y. In which case, Disney has no incentive to bring Marvel to the Florida property in attraction form. Disney's free to use most Marvel characters, anyway. But it doesn't.

Looks great. Very "Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem." Very cool. I'd be delighted to see this coming to Kings Island. Theater looks great.

Many people find those things amusing. It's entertainment. Watching the "human sacrifice" act portrayed above is unlikely to spur any homocidal thoughts in Halloween Horror Nights guests. Perhaps it's akin to Saw or something... I personally don't go to "boo fests" at parks. But I'm not at all surprised or disturbed or offended that people enjoy the intense atmosphere of Halloween Horror Nights. Yadda yadda desensitized population. You get it. Are some of Universal's / Knott's creations sure to offend? Of course. But does that alone mean they deserve to be removed? The real disappointing precedent here, though, is that even one complaint and - historically - these parks bend. To me, that reveals just how paper thin their "extreme" entertainment is. It's tissue paper. Those who ramble on about how our society is too obsessed with political correctness should have a lot to say about Halloween Horror Nights. Bill & Ted still haven't returned to Halloween Horror Nights after years and years of being a staple show. All because of jokes they made about homosexuality. Are we so rigid at this point that we can't laugh at ourselves? And then, is Universal so rigid that all it takes is one hurt person to ruin it for all?

But isn't Cedar Fair all about respect for the past? Taking the parks to what they were before those movie fools ruined the place? Or is homogenization being sold as nostalgia? Hmm.

The entire second half could be redesigned and I don't think a single person would shed a tear. For those who haven't had the pleasure, that iconic, photogenic, and stellar opening act leads to a course that's about as meandering and pointless as Rougarou's with the transitions of Anaconda. For a park with two major "thrill" coasters, Hulk should be an undisputed champ of coasters from start to finish. As it was, that was not the case. Given that the project is this in-depth, I believe Universal will have the second half of the ride redesigned. At this point, you're well on your way to a blank slate. It would be downright silly to rebuild the uncomfortable ride that was.

Disney is still well within reach for the middle class. For those struggling to pay their bills? No. And that is what it is and what it has always been. Someone commented on my article saying, " Many of us who struggle with paying bills can no longer afford a day at the park." Well... yeah. If you're struggling to make ends meet, don't go to a Disney Park. I mean, if you save and decide to spend your disposable income in that method, fine. It's your money. But to be upset that Disney won't lower prices so that you can go while struggling to pay bills is silly. Go to Kentucky Kingdom. Go to Kings Island. Go to Kings Island with Fast Lane. Go to Disney World. Go to Disney World and stay on property. Your options are plentiful and tiered, and limited by what you decide to spend and how. If you're struggling to pay your bills, then choose wisely.

I wrote at length about this for a website I frequent when this happened last year, and you're welcome to read that here. The TL;DR of it? Disney Parks are not growing (can not grow?) at the same rate as their attendance. Estimates show that Disney Parks attendance figures grow by substantial percentage points every year. If you've been to the parks, you know: they're packed. To. The. Gills. What used to be the "off season" is now as packed as the summer – international tour groups, school groups, sports groups... If it's not families, it's Annual Passholders. And most every Disney Fan agrees, Disney Parks are too crowded. At this rate, they're in bad shape unless they change the number of visitors who come. That is to say: You cannot complain about how crowded Disney Parks are while simultaneously complaining about price hikes. The unfortunate and uncomfortable truth of the matter is that raising prices maximizes profit and thins crowds to a level that's more enjoyable for those who can afford it. Most people who have been to Disney Parks agree that Disney needs to let fewer people in. The discomfort comes when you realize that it's your family's income level that gets axed. The tired argument that Disney Parks have out-priced the average American family is exhausting. Disney has always been a premium experience. I personally blame that on the distorted notion that's somehow made its way through society that any normal, middle class, American family will take their children to Walt Disney World even if they have to take out a second mortgage to do it. So no, Disney is not trying to destroy the American dream and ruin middle class childhoods. It's doing just what any reasonable company with a responsibility to its shareholders would: maximizing its profits. If, along the way, some families become unable to afford an annual trip, then so be it. Then they'll have solved the crowding issue at the same time. It's not a rosy fairytale, but it is a smart business decision and a way to increase guest satisfaction at the same time. And if you're one of the chorus of people who starts babbling every year at this time about how Disney will never get another of your dollars and you've been priced out and you quit and you're done with Disney Parks, then save it. It's not true, and you know it. It's also important to note that single and Multi-Day Tickets have not increased. They're rumored to increase in November, but it would probably be a typical "a few dollars more" rise that's become annual. The purpose of this particular hike was to begin to reform the Annual Pass program, which is long, long, long overdue. Objectively, it should probably be eliminated altogether. But the purpose does appear to be making the Annual Pass program an elite program with far fewer participants than it currently has. Which is a good thing. Getting rid of monthly payment options should be the next step. By the way, a four-day trip to Disneyland is still $65 a day, which is on par with most other entertainment ventures. If you decide that a Disney Annual Pass is no longer worthy of your investment, so be it. About three years ago, I was "priced out" of comfortably purchasing a Disneyland annual pass. So now I make one 5-day trip a year. And maybe it's better that way!

4D holographic experience. We'll see exactly what all that bluster is about. Action Theater says to me that it's a newfangled way of saying 3-D motion-based film with lasers. (Do any of the Action Theaters still have motion bases, or were they all converted to the typical theater seating with respective dino films?)

And you'll doubtlessly find plenty on ebay! bkroz, who's got an authentic Tokyo DisneySea Duffy. THAT'S not being discontinued anytime soon.

I have a feeling Movie Park Italy would've jumped on this and given it a nice, unlicensed 1980s film name. But soft! They already have a dangerous, waiver-worthy high speed boat ride based on Nightrider. It takes place in the auxiliary waterways behind (and the watery stage of) the park's Rambo water stunt show.

It's actually kind of a fun feature. Very dramatic at the beginning with how slowly it creeps up the hill, then suddenly it picks up speed big time. Feels like a little bit of a launch compared to the crawl it started at, and that always catches people by surprise and makes people start getting excited.

There are numerous examples of a freshly-painted roller coaster disappearing. Would The Bat be sold? Probably not.Like you said, it's about as custom and terrain-hugging as they come. Busch Gardens cited a "25 year shelf life" in its decision to remove Big Bad Wolf. The ages of remaining classic Arrow suspended coasters: Iron Dragon: 28 Ninja: 27 Vortex: 24 The Bat: 22 Three of the four are located at Cedar Fair parks. It may very well be that Cedar Fair is interested in maintaining these historic coasters. Maybe not.

So many of us here question why Kentucky Kingdom sits out during the lucrative Halloween season. Lucrative and... what else?

Who can think of the most clever portmanteau of "monorail" and "roller coaster?"

DisneyQuest was a brave idea constructed just as technology's meteoric rise began. It was quickly left in the dust and rather than reinvestment, Disney decided to let it rot while reaping big bucks off admission. One of the more embarrassing moves they've made.

If you visit, prepare to be astounded by the mesmerizing technology of the 1990s, not a single example of which holds a candle to even an iPhone 1. The technology at DisneyQuest was astounding and unimaginable in 1998. Not one thing has been added or updated since then. Not one. Even the most then-cutting-edge attractions pale in comparison to the screen in your pocket. It was either invest heavily, or close it. And truthfully, that decision – one way or the other – should've happened about a decade ago. Charging an entry fee for DisneyQuest is not unlike selling 3D glasses in line for Disaster Transport. If you're running around with friends or family, you'd have a blast. Like at any Dave & Busters, just with Disney themed games. But is it a Disney quality experience? No. And moreover, it feels like a serious money grab to have let it wither this long and still ask a (relatively) steep price for entry. We're talkin' Windows 95 fat-backed computers. Yikes. If I were you and already had the Water Park Fun & More option, I'd be sure to drop in for an hour or two when visiting Downtown Disney before it closes.

That's exactly the problem. And why polls of any kind are rarely an accurate indication of anything. Blind patriotism. It does us no favors.

The park's Halloween is certainly above average for a mid-level seasonal park... which Kings Island is. To say it should be #1 is like saying Cedar Point deserves to be the World's Best Amusement Park, above Tokyo DisneySea, Disney California Adventure, Universal's Islands of Adventure, Europa Park, Efteling, Disneyland... That is to say, you'd have to pay me a lot of money before I'd lean in Cedar Point's direction. But eventually I might.