May 14, 2008
Psyched for the West Coast premier of The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood this coming Monday? Of course you are! Here are some random cool details to get you even more psyched (courtesy of USH):
24 instantly-recognizable Springfield characters, all voiced by the original actors, are featured in the new ride! Your favorite Simpsons friends are played by voice talents Hank Azaria, Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Kelsey Grammer, Pamela Hayden, Julie Kavner and Yeardley Smith. [Too bad Harry Shearer was a no-show]
James Dooley, who composed the musical score for The Simpsons Movie and The Simpsons Game, has also created an original score for The Simpsons Ride!
As guests move inside the attraction, their one-hour wait for the ride will seem like a mere fifty-five minutes as they are entertained with classic clips from The Simpsons television series and all-new vignettes featuring classic Springfield characters and The Simpsons family as they wait in line for their Krustyland adventure.
Once they pass through Krusty’s mouth, guests will find themselves in an exterior Carny queue, festooned with posters of Krustyland Rides such as “The Tooth Chipper,” “The Screamatorium Of Dr. Frightmarestein,” and “The Sea Captain’s Queasy Time Lagoon Adventure.” From there, guests will move to the internal Carnival Midway queue, lined on either side with games and booths, each featuring original Simpsons videos: The Milk Bottle Toss featuring Groundskeeper Willie, Apu’s Snack Stand, an Information Booth manned by the clueless Hans Moleman, and the Lost & Found featuring Patty and Selma, who never have what you are looking for.
A live satellite feed from a boisterous Krusty located somewhere within Krustyland is transmitted to awaiting guests. Krusty throws a spotlight on The Simpsons, the first family randomly selected to experience Krustyland’s new “thrill-tacular” ride.
Finally, guests will be ushered to the Funhouse “pre-show” holding room just prior to boarding Krusty’s Roller Coaster-Themed Ride Vehicles. Through closed circuit video monitors located within each Funhouse room, guests will be with The Simpsons as Krusty leads them on a private, behind-the-scenes tour of Krustyland. A ride safety video hosted by Itchy & Scratchy follows on the monitor and ends with The Simpsons boarding the ride vehicle in tandem with guests. And then, before you can say “Super Special Guest Star Who played Dr. Frasier Crane”, the ride is hi-jacked by a certain sinister someone… and the adventure begins.
The Simpsons Ride boasts a 192-person capacity, two behemoth Dome screens measuring an expansive 80-ft in diameter, and a 6.1 surround sound system comprised of 400 custom-designed speakers. The ride offers a superior viewing experience with more than 4x the High Definition resolution seen in home theatres and 2x the HD resolution in digital movie theatres. This marks the first time ever that an IMAX film projection system has been replaced with digital technology!
The ride vehicle, which elevates nine feet on a scissor-lift motion based platform, was painstakingly programmed to synchronize with the action on the screen and capture every nuance of movement: forwards, backwards, up and down, and tilting in all directions. The outcome results in a completely seamless virtual adventure producing visceral effects never before imagined in a theme park ride.
There are a total of 24 Krustified ride vehicles modeled after classic roller coaster cars. Each extra roomy ride vehicle seats 8 people -- or 3 “Comic Book Guys”. The ride can seat up to 192 guests at a time.
Guests sitting within each of the roller coaster themed ride vehicles will be surrounded by 12 speakers and completely engulfed in a high quality 6.1 surround sound system that even Grampa Simpson could hear.
An additional 90 speakers, including subwoofers that contribute to the overall immersive audio experience, are located within the Domes.
The ultimate Springfield convenience store, owned and operated by Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, conveniently opens in conjunction with “The Simpsons Ride”; and, even more conveniently, it’s located right next to the ride exit! The store is the world’s first permanent Kwik-E-Mart and will feature Simpsons memorabilia reminiscent of the show, including Krusty-Os cereal, giant pink donuts, Flaming Moes and Duff Beer (energy drinks). A Squishees cart located near the store also sells authentic Simpsons Squishees in Blue Raspberry Confusion, Red Cherry Explosion and Coca-Cola flavors.
So very, very psyched...
Also, Jeffrey Stoneking's new book, mentioned way down the page,now has its own domain: www.themeparksafetyfailures.com. Click on the link for more info.
-Robert
May 8, 2008
Got some news to catch up on, so here we go:
Roller Coaster Alley put up still another Aftershock construction update, so if you haven't stopped by their site since last week, check it out.
Holiday World is still on the cutting edge of enthusiast communication technology:
HOLIDAY WORLD TO “TWITTER” THIS SEASON
SANTA CLAUS, IN-----Three years after Holiday World premiered the first theme park-sponsored blog, the park is now the first in the industry to launch its own micro-blog, using Twitter.
“We’ve had so much success with our HoliBlog, this seemed like the next logical step,” says Holiday World & Splashin' Safari’s president, Will Koch. “We’re looking forward to using this new communication tool to stay in touch with our guests, whether they’re here in the park, planning a visit, or just interested in our day-to-day activities.”
Twitter is a micro-blogging site; each “tweet” is a brief posting, with a maximum length of just 140 characters. These brief bites of information may be accessed through Holiday World’s page on the Twitter site, via cell phone text messaging, and on the HoliBlog.
“During the season, we will post about the least-busy days to visit, information about special event and the weather, plus we’ll answer the question ‘what’s going on today’ on an ongoing basis,” says Koch.
“Our ‘tweets’ will be helpful to families who are visiting our park and, we hope, entertaining to those Who just want to stay in touch.”
Pretty nifty.
Get on Kings Dominion's Dominator before almost everyone else and do some good, too:
Have you ever wanted to be able to lay claim to being the first person to ride a new rollercoaster? Well here is your chance. Kings Dominion is thrilled to announce the First Ride Auction to benefit Challenge Discovery Projects. The park will be auctioning off the first 32 seats on their newest coaster, Dominator, for its first public flight on May 24th! This is your chance to be the first to experience the world’s longest floorless coaster! Bidding began on May 6th and will end on May 15th. Be sure to check www.kingsdominion.com for more information.
The top 32 bids for the seats will receive:
o Two (2) complimentary tickets for May 24 ($103.90 value) – Rider can bring a friend, however the friend WILL NOT get to ride on the first train
o One (1) complimentary parking pass ($10.00 value)
o Early admission to the park at about 9:30am
o Dominator T-Shirt ($24.95 value)
o Complimentary Ride Photo from first flightSeating will be determined by the highest bidder selecting their first seat and the second highest bidder choosing their seat until all 32 seats are full. A minimum bid of $50 is required to participate. Each rider must be a minimum of 54 inches tall in order to ride.
All proceeds from the auction will be donated to Challenge Discovery Projects, Inc. Challenge Discovery Projects’ mission is to improve the quality of life and livelihood of at-risk youth and families throughout Greater Richmond. Challenge Discovery Projects supports this mission by providing three programs that address violence, substance abuse and emotional/mental health issues. Services are provided regardless of a clients’ ability to pay. For more information on Challenge Discovery Projects, Inc. visit their website at www.challengediscoveryprojects.org
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be the first to experience Dominator!
And speaking of doing good, the folks at England's "Save Dreamland Campaign" issued this press release today:
DREAM COASTER
Build week: 23-30 May
Exhibition: 31 May – 7 June
The Substation, Bilton Square, off High Street, MargateFollowing the recent arson attack on Margate’s much-loved Scenic Railway, Limbo Arts has teamed up with the Save Dreamland Campaign to stage a community exhibition celebrating Dreamland’s heritage and inviting the public to share their memories of the park.
The public are being invited to come along to the Substation to help build the Dream Coaster, a huge wooden model made out of donated scrap timber and based on the layout of the Scenic Railway. The build will be supervised by a core team of workers, and helpers can pop in for an hour, stay for the day or work on the coaster all week!
Our Dream Coaster will then be the focal point of a week-long exhibition when visitors will be invited to share their memories, hopes and dreams. We are also asking the public to loan Dreamland or Scenic memorabilia for display and dig out old film footage of the park that we will convert to DVD and make into a montage film. A programme of talks and workshops is also being planned.
“The Scenic Railway and Dreamland are synonymous with Margate; the coaster is much loved by the community and residents and visitors of all ages have memories of the park,” said Paul Hazelton, Project Manager of Limbo Arts. “The recent fire has created a sense of loss in the town and galvanised the local community: people feel they want to do something but feel powerless. The Substation once powered Dreamland and we hope the Dream Coaster will now empower those individuals.”
Save Dreamland Campaign Coordinator Sarah Vickery added: "We want people to delve into their sheds or garages for scrap pieces of wood and bring them along to turn into our own version of the famous ride.
"So many people have been affected by the fire, we thought one way of tapping into that momentum was to give everyone the chance of joining in a community art project like this.
"The actual size of the Dream Coaster, and the amount of detail, will depend, of course, on how much timber we are given but the inside of the Substation is 16 metres long, so it has to fit inside that space."
Appeal for contributions
We need the public’s help in a number of ways…
1. Donations of scrap wood, especially long lengths to be used for the main structure. Also nails, screws and wood glue. Please ring Paul Hazelton, Project Manager of Limbo, on 078 1278 0984 to arrange either pick up or delivery time.
2. Loan of Dreamland/Scenic Railway memorabilia for display. All items can be deposited at the Shell Grotto, Margate, open daily, 10am to 5pm.
3. Loan of old film footage, which again can be handed in at the Grotto.If you're local to that part of the world, help 'em out!
And back to first rides, here's an interesting offer from Six Flags Magic Mountain: an X2 camp-out. Spend the night under the stars on May 23rd in the park's picnic area, then rise and shine for 1 hour of ERT before the revamped thriller opens to the public.
Also, SFMM season passholders should note that they are entitled to several "Bring a Friend Free" dates, including this coming Mother's Day.
That's it for now!
-Robert
April 30, 2008
First up, the Kings Dominion schedule posted yesterday below has been changed, so take another quick look before making any solid travel plans.
Our buds at Roller Coaster Alley have updated their site with another Aftershock construction update. Dig it here.
As you probably know already, Ollie Johnston - the last of the original Disney animators known as the "Nine Old Men" - passed away on April 14th, closing a chapter on one of the most important periods in Disney history. The Disney Insider site has put up a warm recollection of each of them and even if you're only a passing fan of animation, this article is worth reading.
-Robert
April 29, 2008
CNN.com posted a story about all the new stuff coming to various amusement parks this year, so if you're looking for a rundown on where to travel in '08, click here.
And if you don't think you can stand it until Islands of Adventure opens its new Harry Potter "island," then there may be something to tide you over: Harry Potter - The Exhibition. The official site isn't quite ready to go, but Dark Horizons has the announcement up right here. Sounds like it could be fun, even though there won't be any dragon-themed coasters, or flying broomsticks to ride, or whatnot.
Last for today, here's a rundown of some upcoming events at Kings Dominion; mark yer calendars:
Saturdays May 3, 10, 17 and Friday, May 30, 2008
Concert, Orchestra & Jazz Band & Choral FestivalElementary through high school students showcase their musical talent and receive feedback from a panel of professional judges. The Band Festival performances will be held at Hanover High School with evening awards ceremonies at Kings Dominion. The Choral Festival performances will be held at Kings Dominion. For event information, guests can call (804) 876-5561 or visit http://www.kingsdominion.com/events/events.cfm
May 10-11, May 17-18 and May 24-June 1, 2008
Career DaysFBLA, DECA, FCCLA and FFA club members, families and friends are invited to join Kings Dominion for an educational experience and enjoy all the special rides and attractions we have to offer. Educational seminars in food operations, career opportunities, horticulture and marketing will be held May 10 and May 29. For event information, guests can call (804) 876-5561 or visit http://www.kingsdominion.com/events/events.cfm
Friday, May 16, 2008
Math and Science Day
Students from all over the Mid-Atlantic will enjoy this special interactive and educational experience at the park. With unique activities, lectures and field day events, students have the opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom to everyday life in a theme park. This event is co-sponsored by the Science Museum of Virginia.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
GRAND OPENING- DOMINATORKings Dominion will soar to new heights in 2008 with the introduction of its 14th roller coaster, Dominator. Debuting in late spring, this innovative 4,210-foot steel coaster will be the longest floorless coaster in the world and have one of the world’s largest roller coaster loops. Riders will board the coaster on the east side of International Street, just behind the park’s Berserker ride. Once seated, guests begin their journey with a short, twisted U-turn and climb the 161 foot-tall lift hill. After the 32 passenger train crests the top of the lift, riders are sent flying down a 157 foot drop, eventually speeding into the gut-wrenching, hair-raising vertical loop, which stands 135 feet tall. Four additional inversions will follow during Dominator’s two minute and six second, adrenaline pumping experience. You won’t want to miss Dominator this season at Kings Dominion!
Beginning Saturday, May 24, 2008
WaterWorks OpensSurf’s up at Kings Dominion with the May 26 opening of WaterWorks, the 20-acre water park located within the theme park. New in 2007, WaterWorks expanded with three thrilling new attractions. TIDAL WAVE BAY, a second wave pool, will offer hours of swimming adventure. The TORNADO attraction combines high thrills with spinning and churning wet spills and extends 65 feet into the air. The ZOOM FLUME will give families the opportunity to enjoy a rafting adventure together as they “zoom” down the raging water path. Admission to WaterWorks is included with general park admission or with a Season Pass. WaterWorks is open May 24 through September 1.
Feelin’ Groovy
You’ll be twistin’ the night away during the park’s all new musical revue. This rocking, rolling and of course, groovy dance party will have you dancing in the aisles and singing along with favorites from days gone by! The fun begins in the Kings Dominion Theatre in late May.
Hot Island Rhythms
Island-worthy pop songs will have guests singing along and swaying to the music. Celebrating the carefree fun everyone loves about a summer vacation, this is a not-to-be-missed experience for the entire family. The band opens on the Grande Bandstand in International Street in late May.
Roaming Beach Tunes Band
A seven-piece band roaming the park playing tunes from the surf for park guests will delight and intrigue passersby along the way. Can you spot the band as they trek throughout the park? Beginning late May.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Awareness DaySpecial events have been planned for the hard of hearing, their families and friends. Spectacular entertainment, educational exhibits and interpreters for many of the Parks shows and services will make this a memorable day for all.
Friday, July 4 and Saturday, July 5, 2008
FireworksCelebrate America's birthday in a big way with the area's largest fireworks display! Kings Dominion will have fireworks nightly at 10 pm.
Thursday July 10 through Saturday July 12, 2008
Kings Fest FestivalThree days of Christian music, speaking and teaching you won't want to miss. Many performances are scheduled for this three day event including Newsboys, Skillet, KJ-52, Casting Crowns, TobyMac, David Crowder Band, Kutless, Hawk Nelson, and Barlow Girl.
All events, dates and times are subject to change without notice. For the most updated park information, visit KingsDominion.com.
-Robert
April 25, 2008
Our good buddy Paul Fowler was lucky enough to attend the opening of Canada's Wonderland's new Behemoth, the B&M hypercoaster with that newfangled seating arrangement. While not a record-breaker of any kind, it certainly is behemothic... or behemothish... or behemothozoid... or whatever the adjective form of that noun is, if such a thing exists. He says it's a winner and let's not forget that this beast gives CW a grand total of 15 operating coasters. Pretty impressive for our northern neighbor.
He's got a pile o' great photos up at Flickr, and a POV video over at Theme Park Review.
Here's a couple to whet your appetite:
Thanks, Paul!
Indiana's Holiday World, which opens for the season on May 3rd, got a nice shout-out by USA Today as a great bargain for your summer travel plans. Check it out.
Here's the press release the park sent out this morning:
With the summer vacation season fast approaching and gasoline prices reaching record highs, editors at USA Today sought money-savings advice from top travel experts for a feature in today’s edition.
The article, called “Cheap Tricks for summer travel” includes advice to visit Holiday World, plus a photo of the park’s Raven roller coaster.
“When we heard about the article and photo this morning, we headed over to USA Today’s website and got another wonderful surprise,” says Holiday World & Splashin' Safari president Will Koch. “The photo of The Raven is also the on the front page of their website!”
USA Today has a circulation of 2.3 million; their website is ranked as one of the top 500 most visited sites in the world. Today’s article also advises travelers to purchase theme park tickets at a discount directly from the parks’ websites.
Last year, Consumers Digest magazine named Holiday World the nation’s “Top Value Park.” Holiday World & Splashin' Safari provide free soft drinks, free sunscreen, free parking, plus free use of inner tubes in the water park.
Holiday World opens for the season on May 3 with the premiere of Star Spangled Carousel and Reindeer Games; Splashin' Safari’s opening day is May 10, with the debut of the monkey-themed Kima Bay family waterplay attraction. For more information, visit the parks’ website at www.HolidayWorld.com or call 1-877-463-2645.
And last for today, Jeffrey Stoneking has written a new book called "Theme Park Safety Failure$" and while it may not be a "fun" read, you might want to check it out. Here's the link to more information and an order page.
-Robert
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