brenthodge

cute show but PLEASE find a different venue for these. This is not the besty use of this space - needs to be totally redesigned with a mix of tiered table seating and sloped seating - maybe even with a dance floor in front to bring live music stage shows back to the space. Move the skate park over to Action Zone - maybe even rework TimberWolf to have less seating - opening up the back areas for flat ride expansion and use the stage there for these type of shows

They like "Packadge Deals" with vendors and are using MACK for NightFlight. I could see a "two for one" deal that would benefit SDC.

Story logic, the peppers ghost effect makes no sense (it didnt in the original either, but it was trying so hard to knock off Haunted Mansion so its expected) since we have already seen the "ghosts" fully formed it never made sense why we went back to them being transparent. But I agree that the figures and the whole scene is too big and squished for the space. The turntable was clearly just a budget move where they "wrote" a scene just to use the turntable. The whole space - as you mentioned - should be zoomed out a bit - with a few rows of seating, then the stage with footlights and the characters a bit smaller - using forced perspective to make it feel like we are at the back of the theatre. The way it is feel like looking at a display window trying to be a theatre.

Well, we’ve finally owned up to what we’ve known for a while now… Nightflight is delayed till mid August (as for now).

True. They should definitely be on entry doors. Exit doors are generally closed and shouldn’t need them as much.

I don’t feel like they use the air curtains as much any more. Those are pretty decent at keeping the cold air in with the doors open.

So much of that park gets so much right.

So much better.

Still there as of Sunday. (Are we celebrating trash being strategically placed and left there now ?)

Based on the crowd drop I’ve seen, the nightly expense isn’t keeping them there till close. Maybe the numbers make sense (must or they wouldn’t do it juSt out of tradition) but I just don’t see the need for 10 pm closes every day if the week when most other parks don’t do it (and certainly don’t end with several thousand dollars in show expenses every night)

I just re-watched UNDER THE STARS and ADVENTURE AWAITS. Either of those shows, with a little better fountain programming, and better laser programming to use the lasers for the logos instead of the drones could run nightly without fireworks or drones as a "cheaper" alternative on weeknights with 9 or 9:30 closes. They've even gotten rid of the moving lights used on the tower a little bit more each year. Don't know if these were rented or owned and have just been retired as they quit working or they no longer see the need to rent them. I think the problem was they kept trying to do the "50th light" shows (and were fairly successful) for a few years after and now they have just started a weak "copy and paste" form year to year

everyone on the merch cart is moving again!

they are - each fountain has a feed pipe that runs at 100%. There is then a control valve with an antenna that the nozzel attaches to. If it looses the signal, it seems to just default to whatever it likes and stays there regardless of what is happening around it. The alignment gets off when they are adding/removing the ice rink and they get knocked off their "mark" and no one ever takes the time to walk the fountain and re-align them to their positions. The "Finger jets" are pointless anyway in that they need to be way more arched to the center. ASs it is now they are "slightly angled" and just look crooked.

I remember the first "closing show" after the first returned Winterfest when they used the new lighting rigs, the old fountains and the building LED color bars. They picked a solid song from "The Greatest Showman" and it WORKED so well. It didn't need "choreographed squirts" that aren't even really choreographed. They used what they had, supplemented it with fireworks, building lighting and some additional lighting from the rigs. Sometimes less is more if you cant really BE MORE. The finale for the 50th was amazing, but if they aren't going to do that (and they can't and shouldn't) then they just need to do less really well. Based on the corwds I saw leaving Sunday night about 9-9:30, I'd even question if we need 10pm closes with fireworks every night of the week. Id rather have solid finale shows on Friday and Saturday evenings, put some of the savings toward a better, fuller live show schedule with more evening shows at Showplace and bandstand, and a WELL LIT and ACTUALLY CHOREOGRAPHED (looking at you HAUNT shows) fountain and lighting only show at 9-9:30 pm when the park closes Sun - Th. What happened to "At the end of the Day" song from Adventure awaits? - perfect song for a simple ending show. Get a solid programming and don't screw with it for the next 6 years. If you can't do what The Island does for free at a shopping center, then quit trying - This is what we've NEVER gotten.

They couldn’t keep flickering, swinging lamps working. Don’t dream too big.

I’ve suggested in the past a major Reno of Showplace with a new, semi permanent roof that would be more rain proof and possibly add heaters for haunt/winterfest use. Eliminate the steep raked seating (and ice gears for winter) by instead doing terraced seating with a larger area at the front for a dance floor if you do more music revues, some elevated seating areas and then table seating at the back as a dining and show setting (but only have it open around show times)

It looks terrible this year. Few things are aligned, few are at anywhere close to the same level, some don’t work at all. There doesn’t seem to be any slow change from pattern to pattern, just everything blasting water all the time at different angles. I’ve not seen the night show yet, but it can’t get much better. They used wireless enabled valves that control each jet, but the water pressure seems to be full all the time, so if they loose the signal (as this stuff like LED lighting and wireless tech often does, they go rogue. The old fountains were I believe more controlled at the pump room with mechanical valves controlling the flow to each “zone” like side jets, morning glory jets, fan jets on the bowls etc. It wasn’t as “gimmicky”, but it sure seemed to work. Can you tell I still hate this “new” fountain?!

Honestly either of the park-produced music reviews currently running would be more engaging and a better use of the space. The show from festhaus definitely deserves a better venue. Maybe then something could run the whole summer season.

It definitely is geared toward children imo and I'm sure 13 and under will get a kick out of it. I think the biggest difference between this show and other magic shows here in the past is Penn and Teller Fool Us and the internet. Honestly I didn't see anything that I didn't know how the trick worked. Over half of the tricks when the "big moment" happened nobody applauded or even gasped. Nowadays close-up/slight of hand/card magic is much more mystifying and takes more talent than large scale illusions where the assistants are doing most of the work (if you know, you know). my 11 year old looked bored out of his mind and was definitely one and done, so I’m not sure if the 13and under will all love it. We went to the 4 today (went early so we could also catch the 6 if anyone wanted to… didn’t). Same experience in that no one really seemed to care when the big moment happened, there was just a light applause from a full theatre. I just don’t think it gels.

Would benches or tables with chairs in front of the bandstand be that crazy to actually have a place to sit and watch the great shows we do have? If they kept them in the “stone” area and kept the blacktop for traffic it seems like it would work for flow.

Actually all of adventure port is pretty bare.

Noticed that as well. Looks great. Maybe that’s where the payroll went since it didn’t go to planting the “fountain”

Year one it was also at the bar outside of FestHaus, then they cut that. There’s nothing about this even that really says “food”. It should be LiteBites and Wine. It does seem a bit better, but not sure why they don’t as you suggested at least til it into GrillandGrain and LaRosas with a good and wine pairing or 2.

it turns on and off, but I agree that the other day I didnt see it switch on at all.

And I will say basic maintenance as well. You can clean a rusted out ElCamino all day long, but at the end of the day it still looks like crap. Great America was overall "clean" but it was lost due to the fact that the clean surfaces was in such desperate need of paint and repair that it didn't really matter.