bkroz

Apparently there are surprises yet to come which will likewise be determined by fans using "various surveys and means of participation." The continued emphasis on joining the battle between the citizens of New France and the invading Vikings (via the website, the video below, and the name option Battle Klash) give the impression that A) this is a dual track dueling / racing wooden coaster (which wouldn't be unheard of given their sister park had Gwazi by the same manufacturer, though the few CGI still photos released don't show it as such) or B ) virtual reality will be used with the option to somehow select if you're a Viking or a townsperson. Thing is, VR + wooden coaster doesn't sound right to me... Well, the park promises more information and more fan choices to come so we'll see... EDIT: Interestingly enough, in the news this week: a previously undiscovered Viking settlement may have been found in Canada by means of space archaeology... it's a thing! Read here.

After all, that's where I found everything I used. bkroz, who's seen it before at the end of undergraduate presentations. You would hate me as a teacher. I never let my students use Wikipedia or any other source that could be changed by anyone. It had to be credible sources such as reviewed journal articles, professionals' websites, etc. Using Google instead of telling me where the resources had come from would have gotten you a zero for failure to cite sources. If I ever did anything like this with my high school freshmen, I'd be a lot more forgiving, but when I taught my college classes, I did not mess around with expectations. ...I'm not hard to get along with though. I'm really not. I promise. Oh, I'd love you as a teacher. Every time I saw that sort of thing, I'd immediately turn to the teacher and hope to see a look of shock or dismay. Usually, they didn't seem to notice or care. Source: google.com. Unbelievable! While I understand the point, that was one of the stranger decisions, I think... I don't know. Is it unpatriotic to say that the flag should be off to the side so we can get better views of the French icon? Maybe.

My next research paper's Works Cited page: After all, that's where I found everything I used. bkroz, who's seen it before at the end of undergraduate presentations.

Woof. Can't argue with that... And, I won't!

It ain't about getting likes. Couldn't care less. I don't think there's a disagreement here, either. Just a different perspective. If someone wants to hurt people, they will. That's not a shock or news to anyone. Someone could drive their car up through the gates and plow down International Street if they wanted, or charter a helicopter and drop bowling balls from the sky. But common sense safety measures shouldn't be forfeited because "Well, if they want to hurt us, they'll find a way." "Better safe than sorry." Do you object to having to pass through metal detectors and have your bags checked at the airport? Maybe you do. The "illusion" of safety? Maybe. But how many would-be attackers have been deterred by the process? If even one, then isn't it worth it? How many guns, knives, explosives have been found during that airport screening? If even one, then isn't it worth it? The attitude we as a society have chosen is that it's worth given up some select personal rights and privacies in exchange for the safety and well-being of all. At concerts, sporting events, airports, theme parks, and more, that means if our metal detector goes off, you're going through again until it doesn't anymore. I'm okay with that.

I say they're there. You say they're not. Schrödinger aside, we can't both be wrong. Either your memory is failing or mine is. (And between you and me, I know which is the culprit. ) The link to the park's FAQ mentions that all guests, employees, and even management must pass through metal detectors. Last year after a violent skirmish, even more security measures were put in place, verified by this article which again mentions the metal detectors that've been there since 1993. Kennywood uses metal detectors. It needs them. Pittsburg is not Cincinnati. West Mifflin (median household income 2013: $24,090) is not Mason (median household income 2013: $86,814).

Um. No. Still there. See important point #3. Yes and if you want to hurt a bunch of people at an airport just stand outside the airport. Sure. But regardless of that cyclical logical, this is a smart step. Maybe it does just provide the "illusion" of safety. That might be enough to dissuade anyone who might've tried something from attempting it. The news article I linked to above mentioned that as of that writing (1993) individuals under 21 wouldn't be allowed into Kennywood after 7PM, noting the significant gang violence that the park was dealing with and how uniformed officers would be stationed throughout the park. And Kennywood is far from the very worst. The experience you encounter at your local suburban park on a friendly summer weekday is not necessarily representative of what's out there. To stop guests at the gate and ensure they don't have weapons might not seem worthwhile at Kings Island, and indeed, it seems that Cedar Fair agreed. They didn't think Kings Island's patrons made it worthy of the extra hassle and staffing that a security check-point brings about. But you better believe it's still in place at Kings Dominion and I suspect it always will be. DC is not Cincinnati; Doswell is not Mason. At least one member here will attest to that.

Oh, there were metal detectors. Installed 23 years ago. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19930507&id=0qkkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0G4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6903,3883284&hl=en

If you imagine hard enough, Diamondback's supports are almost like trees with no branches or leaves! I'll be watching this carefully. You all know I've said for years that the most unfortunate thing about Swan Lake becoming Diamondback's splashdown was the short-sighted planting behind it. IF the park had taken care to re-plant dozens of trees, we'd already be seeing the results as they grew in and around the lake. Even now, just a handful of years later, they'd be filling in and giving us a beautiful forested lake back. Instead, they planted a few dogwoods, which means that in 30 years, that concrete splashdown with a well-manicured lawn around it will look... well... almost exactly how it looks right now. At least based on this (to be fair) very early photograph, it looks as if even less care has gone into the landscaping of this new path, which is really pretty abysmal. I realize Cedar Fair isn't Disney or Universal and we can't expect them to transplant full-grown trees just for the sake of beautifying, but c'mon. At least give us long-term hope. Allow us to say, "Well, sure, it's pretty weak now, but just wait! This is a long game but it'll all be worth it and when my kids are here one day, the place will be a towering forest again." Instead...

To be fair, who on Earth could they find to pilot one of the largest media companies in the world? Who out there has experience balanced between cable, film, animation, cruise lines, resort hotels, theme parks, merchandising, theater, and more? A perfect candidate probably doesn't exist. But you're right – tech is a big deal, lest we forget Disney's $1.5 billion+ bet on MyMagic+ and an expected global expansion of that program, which has been a bit of a cloud over Iger's operations. Because I'm selfish, I'd love if the next CEO understood / cared about / cared for the Disney Parks & Resorts division. Comcast has seen the unimaginable success that can come from investing deep and wide in their Universal Parks. Disney could do even better given the right captain(s) at the helm.

And to be clear, he didn't really die on a Haunted Mansion attraction. The ride, to our current understanding, didn't specifically have anything to do with it. He was apparently working on lighting backstage and might've been electrocuted. People have died on Disney attractions before – typically due to rider error, recklessness, or unknown pre-existing conditions – but it seems in this case that it was a freak accident not at all related to the ride's operation. Made all the more tragic by the kind of ride it is – a haunted house.

Why at one park and not another? Visit a nice suburban park like Kings Island, then take a trip to Kennywood or Six Flags America. Long and short is that some parks really should screen their guests more intensely. Maybe that's not politically correct, but c'est la vie. The belt isn't removed because it could be a weapon. It's removed to ensure that it's not being used as a scapegoat for anything else with metal pieces. *scanner goes off* "Oh, that's just my belt." *flashes belt* "Oh, alright. C'mon in, then!" Notice that you take the belt off, then can put it back on once you've passed through security. They're not confiscating it; they're making sure that once the belt is off, you don't set off the scanner.

I think fingerprint scanners catch on because they're reliably able to ensure that the same guest is using the entry method each time, particularly for parks where multiple entries with one ticket are likely. At destination parks, it's pretty unlikely that someone is visiting for one day, one time the entire year. They probably have a pass or multi-day tickets. There are a few ways to make sure that the same person is using the same ticket each day: photographs and fingerprints come to mind. At Walt Disney World, you buy a five-day Park Hopper ticket, let's say. There is no "pass processing" center where you have to go activate it, so rather than taking your photograph, they rely on your fingerprint. Same at Busch Gardens or SeaWorld: for the price of a day, come back all summer with a Fun Card. A little ticket machine pops it out. Your photograph isn't taken, so how can they be sure that the same person is using the ticket each time? Fingerprints! At Kings Island, your photograph is associated with your pass if you have one. If you don't, at the very most you can get a two-day ticket. Last time I did that, their "fraud protection" was that you signed the back of the ticket on day #1 and again on day #2. They then carefully, forensically analyze your signatures to ensure that they match. Basically, parks just have to choose 1) if they care about making sure the same person is using the ticket each day (most do) and 2) how to go about policing that. Photographs make sense when you've got a captive audience (i.e. season passholders who have to process their passes in a pass processing building set up for photographs) but collecting the photo of every Walt Disney World guest using anything but a one-day one-park ticket is a big endeavor. Plus, one employee can monitor a bank of fingerprint entries, whereas it's one employee per portal for the photograph kind.

No kidding – ask my wife! Bkroz, not married.

Big news. Apparently because he wasn't all-but-assured the CEO position by the board? It'll be tough for anyone to follow-up Iger. Massive growth across the park's division, animation studio, and live action, not to mention acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm. But every year he stays, he makes increasingly more Eisner-esque choices that Mr. Kinzel might be proud of. Cuts, slashes, odd choices... And then there's Shanghai Disneyland, which Staggs was instrumental in -- predicted to take quite a while to recoup costs and apparently at fault for cuts at stateside parks. EuroDisney Part II? I trust that Disney did their due diligence, but it occurs to me that if the Shanghai park (which has almost nothing in common with any other Disney park on Earth, made up almost entirely of original attractions, a new layout, new landmarks, etc) were built in Illinois, they could charge $110 a day and the place would be packed to the gills. As it is, Shanghai Disneyland's peak pricing is less than $60US and it's been a bear to market to an audience that – frankly – hasn't gotten to know the Disney brand. Area of growth? I suppose. Good luck!

It has occurred to me that my home park – in my case, I consider that Kings Island – is subject to greater scrutiny in things like this. I first recognized this phenomenon when I first encountered Busch Gardens' restaurant menus on flatscreen televisions, complete with animation and photographs and videos. At the time, I'd never seen anything like it and thought it was brilliant and classy and yet another example of the park's commitment to quality. When Kings Island got the same thing, I thought it was a sneaky, dastardly way to raise prices (and dining plan options for that matter) whenever they saw fit since it could be done electronically. Similarly, when I go to Busch Gardens Williamsburg, the fingerprint scanner is an "oooh ahhh" moment for my friends and I. Technology for the sake of technology? Maybe. It probably even takes longer than any other system might. But like the greeters or the tram, it's evidence that this park is different from the ones "back home." If Kings Island got fingerprint scanners, I'd probably be bothered and think it was a real hold-up in line and an unnecessary gimmick. See also Quick Queue. "What a convenience! How smart to employ such a simple system!" Then, Fast Lane? A money grab. An annoyance. A gimmick. Cheap. Why would I feel that way though? It's illogical, right? What's the difference? I don't know...

As when annual passholders were told that the then-unnamed family launch coaster would be Black Forest Turbo, Autobahn Express, or Verbolten, I suspect that Busch Gardens already had the marketing material with the Invadr logo ready. "Crowd-sourced" in the same way that Disney's exit polls are open-ended: Was your day A) spectacular B ) magical C) unforgettable or D) all of the above? I wish they would've had a preliminary round where fans could submit their own ideas. The Norwegian word for Invader is "Inntrenger." A trade-mark-able version would've made a really great coaster name. Or "Attakkere," the Norwegian word for Attack. Ah well. Invader it is.

No, it's even colder in Richmond! Exactly.

I spent a good deal of Busch Gardens' Christmas Town quaking in my boots, freezing. It was too cold to open Griffon (which operates in 40-degrees an above) and very windy, too. That year was worse than many, but a Christmas event in Southern Virginia is not the kind of thing you can wear a parka to.

Why, oh why, did it have to be in the haunted house? I can't bear to read the comments. Really tragic. And he'd been there 14 years.

While the flashy technological wonder of an automated passholder lane is interesting, there's something to be said for being greeted*, even if it is at a toll plaza. For me, my first encounter with Busch Gardens Williamsburg is at the toll plaza. I would prefer if I weren't forking over $15 each time, but I greatly appreciate the bright enthusiasm and welcome I recieve every single time. It seems to me (in my experience) that the parking plaza is often staffed with wonderful older adults who are genuinely pleasant and informative. "Welcome to Busch Gardens! Be sure to check out our new show in Festhaus this year – that'll be up the hill in Oktoberfest. We're open till 10 tonight, so enjoy the fireworks at 9:30, alright? Here's a map. Stay to the right ahead and have a great day! See you soon!" They don't race through each transaction (which some might complain about) but I actually feel like they care how my day will be. Pulling up to a gate and scanning a pass or credit card wouldn't be the same. It's the little things, like positioning greeters* at the toll plaza and trams whisking you to the gates. * Greeting chosen specifically; not to be confused with swiping a credit card or scanning a pass and saying "Hello. It's $15 please."

When I tried to redirect him to the thread he already started, I was told to leave the moderating to the moderators, so moderators, this would be an awesome time to redirect him to that thread but... The oddest thing about Dominator at Kings Dominion for me was that it's flipped from its orientation at Geauga Lake. At Geauga Lake, you enter right down the center of the cobra roll, which was very very cool. At Kings Dominion, views of the coaster from within the park are from vantage points impossible at Geauga Lake... unless by boat.

Residents of Anaheim love to frequent Disney shareholder meetings just to give executives a piece of their mind. One last year stood in line for the mic for a good long time just to tell Bob Iger and city officials that they were "going to hell" for renewing Disneyland's late-night fireworks allowance. Those locals are one of the main reasons that Westcot didn't become the second gate at Disneyland. A three-hundred foot golden sphere floating over MY home? Massive parking garages looming over MY backyard? Decade-long road-widening projects to make MY neighborhood an international destination? No sir. And thus... Disney's California Adventure. (I wrote a piece on Westcot and the original, much-despised Disney's California Adventure here.) Speaking of which, if The Big Sheep is looking for alternatives, they can go the route Disney's California Adventure did... Expansive echoing tubes covering the parts of the park's roller coaster that were likely to elicit screams, reflecting them into the park and away from neighbors (Image via Disney)... ... OR (and this is the best one) horrific "scream shields" on the equally horrific Maliboomer Drop Tower that could quite literally deafen you if you dared scream into them. (Image via Yesterland, see link) Nearer to the UK, LEGOLAND Windsor enclosed their ride vehicles to equally deafening and unpleasant results. And when those windows get dirty... Yuck. The coaster was relocated to LEGOLAND Florida where it now operates in a much more airy capacity.

... and each part of the park having different music. The little things add up. It just requires that the people in power are looking for the same goal you are. If we want Kings Island to be a theme park on par with Busch Gardens Williamsburg, while Cedar Fair and park management are hoping to shift it more toward Cedar Point's model, then guess which of those two parks Kings Island will be more like in ten years?

Thanks guys! Allow me to rescind my first post which offered that this is merely a rumor. I still don't think it'll happen, but the word from some insiders is that a Guardians of the Galaxy *temporary* attraction overlay (as in Haunted Mansion Holiday, it's a small world holiday, Jingle Cruise, or Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy) really was planned for both California and Florida. No different from Star Wars taking over Space Mountain or Nightmare Before Christmas taking over Haunted Mansion, it would last for just a little while. Jim Hill Media explains that the only reason this could even possibly happen is because of Tower of Terror's location in Disney California Adventure. The plot of land behind the Tower there (the only leftover square of Disneyland's original parking lot) is targeted to become a Marvel Super Hero themed land in the near future (perhaps with its own Iron Man Experience from Hong Kong, a launched Avengers coaster modeled after Rock n' Roller Coaster – which is in turn modeled after Flight of Fear – etc). Already, the Super Hero HQ meet-and-greet experience at Disneyland is moving to California Adventure's Hollywoodland this month. Anyway, this temporary, seasonal takeover of the Towers of Terror would be a segue into the land's announcement in California and a tie-in to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 which opens in theaters next May... A way to outwit the Marvel / MCA (Universal) contract that gives Universal exclusive use of any Marvel characters in their park and characters reasonably associated with those characters' families (including the Avengers, who will team up with Guardians of the Galaxy in Avengers: Infinity War Part I or Part II in 2018 or 2019. Once that happens, Disney will be locked out of using Guardians of the Galaxy in Florida since they'll be tied to the blocked Avengers.) It would be duplicated in Florida, allegedly, only because of the tremendous fan backlash that occurs whenever Disneyland gets a seasonal overlay and Walt Disney World doesn't. Problem is, the reason for Walt Disney World's omission from seasonal overlays is a pretty smart one: many visitors to Walt Disney World visit only once every few years, maybe once in a LIFETIME. For them, having the Haunted Mansion overtaken by Jack Skellington poo-poos their one (and perhaps only) chance to see the "real" Haunted Mansion. So this time, Disney was apparently trying to get out ahead of that backlash by developing a version to temporarily take over the very different Tower of Terror in Florida, too. Jim Hill reports (in the podcast linked above) that the tremendous fan backlash against the idea has made designers second-guess bringing the experience to Florida, leading to the assumption that it'll still come to California and that when it does, it'll be beloved and impressive and well received, and that Florida fans will be furious that they were skipped again. Why would a sci-fi futuristic super hero IP take over a 1930s lost Hollywood hotel, even temporarily? I don't know. Why not insert them into Space Mountain like the Ghost Galaxy or Hyperspace Mountain overlays do? I don't know.