standbyme

Sorry for the late reply...I was at work and couldn't get around to listening to the whole interview until I got home. I think you did a very nice job...it was fun to listen to...plus I did learn some stuff too! For example, the $5.00 fee is a one shot deal...once you exit DA you can't re-enter...but you could stay in there all day if you wanted. I do have to say that I chuckled when one of the first couple of things that Don Helbig mentioned to do back in DA was that there was a "gigantic gift shop"...thank goodness...I was worried CF wouldn't think of that! Thanks again for posting this!

I thought these 2 quotes of yours fit pretty good...and it answers your question of why the park will probably never put the food prices on the app.

Thanks for sharing these... I look forward to all of your updates! (I did a double take when you said "every week"...it must be nice.)

I disagree, I think several members have made some very intelligent posts in this thread...but yes, there are "stupid" posts sprinkled in between them. (And yes, I am fully aware I am guilty of a few...but I try and lighten the mood every now and then.)

You know...you really are an idiot. Just kidding.

^So it's ok to criticize this site & some of it's members but not the park?

Spongebob is gone isn't he?

After reading your posts all these years I know that you are not naive...so when you make a statement like this I wonder if you are not just playing devil's advocate. How in your heart of hearts can you see this as a good choice...to pay for something that has been free for over 15 years? If they had just built the theater this year and it was an upcharge I could see where you are coming from...that is not the case. I will now play devil's advocate...what if the park threw in some new theming along The Beast and started to upcharge...would you still defend them for giving everyone a choice?

I haven't heard anyone use the word malarky in years...that brought a smile to my face.

I agree...but when the park puts dinosaur prints into the cement I think they think it will be here at least 3-4 years. So can I assume that since Spongebob was not only 3D, but had motion seats that you WERE surprised it was free!?!

^I am not debating Dinosaurs Alive, I understand that because to have the proper experience it would be a low capacity attraction...unlike the 3D movie...which is high capacity. So, if the 3D dinosaur movie is not considered as good of a movie as the past ones where everyone would enjoy it, why bring it in in the first place...and if it IS as good as the previous ones why charge for it and not the others? The park claims that DA is going to be around for a long time...so why would the movie be any different?

Even if I don't like a certain attraction I never hope that it closes...just because I figure someone else out there likes it. The ONLY exception for me has been The Crypt which has just gone down SO bad it deserves to be put out of it's/our misery.

Please explain the difference when they add something like Diamondback and don't make it an upcharge attraction to make up for the undeniable "higher cost to the buisness". I am totally serious...explain to me how the two are different. Both cost money...Diamondback even more...both are NOT low capacity rides...why upcharge for one and not the other.

I think Gator summed up my feelings pretty good. There is one other thing I might add that bugs me about this... I have always been under the impression that the one main thing that usually mandates why an attraction becomes an "upcharge attraction" is low capacity. (Even Dinosaurs Alive fits this bill.) Action Theater easily handles huge crowds. Is there any other excuse other than greed for the upcharge? I know what some people might want to say...the park has spent a lot of money on it or the fee helps pay for the rights to the film. How are either of those logical explanations? Surely the park was paying a fee for the rights to all of the previous movies, so that doesn't wash...and if we are going for the "put a lot of money in it" excuse how does that make sense? The park spent millions of dollars on other attractions but didn't ask the public to chip in...I feel like Action Theater is kind of like the park's new toll booth! P.S. Don't ya love when we were all guessing if Action Theater would be coming back that the park assured us that it would in fact be open...I guess they didn't want to let the other shoe drop back then...cowards!

I know...it's probably not fair to the park...but I thought the visual was funny.

That IS surprising. Even though I live in Illinois I still get my money's worth with a season pass...I have been getting them since 2000. I do not have any other passes.

I always liked the " What American landmark is constantly moving backwards." trivia question.

Maybe every employee read your comments from your first trip and decided to cut out the middleman and jump to that end of the season attitude that you already expect! I have said in the past and I will say it again...in my decades of going to the park I have NEVER had any employee be rude to me. Sometimes they are not smiling...but I can excuse that because I figure they could have had a hard day. I also try and take into account that they may be dealing with something that happened at home before they got there...something I am sure we have all done...you try and be your normal self but you just can't stop thinking about your problem while you are working. I can live with an employee who may not be bubbling with excitement as long as they are doing their job.

Personally i'm still waitng on the "more shade" from the last expansion.

^It's not much but it's a step in the right direction!

Working at a record store I have heard countless song titles butchered...but instead of annoying I find it both amusing and sometimes a challenge to figure out what the customer is looking for. Although not a song title, my all time favorite is when someone came in our store looking for an artist named Vangel Eyes. The customer was in her late 40's/early 50's so we couldn't figure out how she wanted an artist with such an interesting name that we hadn't even heard of. (Keep in mind this is pre-internet days....so easy help was not around.) After several questions we finally figured it out...it was an artist named Vangelis. Here's who he is!

This was great news to wake up to this morning! Congratulations Jesse, I can't think of a better choice.

If only Haunt could have that much fog!

^I am still amazed when a long time member still asks a question where they risk getting one of The Interpreter's patented "Yes" answers. I think the closest I can come up without The Interpreter being able to do that is something like this: I really would love to see a photo of the tank boats that used to shoot tennis balls...if someone has a photo I would appreciate it very much if they would post it!

^It is a good one....thanks!