Archive: June, 2007

Jeff, Pat, Mike and Greg review this week's news in the amusement industry.

• Stadiums and parking and Cedar Fair. Never thought they'd be in the business of disputing that kind of project.
• Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk turns 100. We think boardwalk parks are a uniquely American experience.
• Six Flags New England gets their way and makes off-property parking more expensive for lot owners.
• Disneyland gets its day at the polls to dispute the zoning changes that would permit low-income housing in the "amusement district."
• Spending will go up slightly in US parks, but the Asian markets will grow 5% every year for the next several.
• The accident at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom seems so random. Is it something that will have far-reaching effects in the industry?
• Gonch says using retirees as employees is a trade off. On one hand, they're slower, but they're a lot more friendly than the average teen or college kid.
• He loves Silver Dollar and Celebration City.
• Jeff shares a story about an encounter with a retired worker at Universal. People go to Florida not to die, but to live.
• Mike did the Q-bot experience at Six Flags Great America, and liked it because of the large group and the kids.
• Jeff and Gonch remain unimpressed with food operations in all of the Cedar Fair parks they've been to.
• Lower height requirements make for a better family experience.

Jeff, Mike and Greg review this week's news in the amusement industry.

• Coastermania was last weekend, and Jeff brought a date who didn't run.
• Jeff gives a brief review of the Blue Man Group show at Universal Orlando.
• Astroland now considering relocation.
• Six Flags busted by EPA for not reporting pool chemicals at Wild Waves.
• Six Flags revenue up on flat attendance, though it's probably too early to tell what this season will be like for the company.
• Vallejo selling Discovery Kingdom property to Six Flags.
• Star Wars freaks descend upon Disney-MGM. Bust out the Yoda tats.
• Disney sub ride for the disabled shows creative solution for the ride.
• Universal Orlando wants to amend its master plan with more rooms, retail, office space and employee housing.
• Disneyland's Club 33: Is exclusivity itself the attraction?
• Corkscrew Hill as a feature film? Good luck with that.
• Wild West World gets it right with a mix of family rides.
• What happened to all of the amusement park fan sites?

Jeff, Richard, Greg and Pat review this week's news in the amusement industry.

• Richard is live from the airport in Tokyo.
• Jeff has a report on Chocolate Buzz last weekend at Hersheypark. He's undefeated with eleven laps on Lightning Racer.
• A little more on Maverick following the media event for the ride.
• Very strange accident getting people off of the river ride at Animal Kingdom.
• Harry Potter is coming to Islands of Adventure. Richard feels this is a huge score for the UK tourists that Universal is currently lacking.
• Richard says that the X clone at Fuji-Q, Eejanaika, is not an improvement. A ride once to say you did ride.
• Japanese safety and maintenance seems to vary quite a bit, according to Richard, and found a Togo stand-up that you could "sit on" all day.
• The Japanese Disney parks are best in the company.
• Hollywood Dream, a B&M at Universal there, is a very cool ride with on-board music you can choose. It has on-board lighting as well.
• NASA has truly lost its way, but they have a new simulator in Florida.
• Marriott is licensing the Nickelodeon brand. Viacom is making a ton, but aren't they diluting the brand for the licensees?
• Cedar Fair gives a peek to early numbers. Per cap spending is up, and they've already got 3 million guests up through Memorial Day for the year.
• Jeff grows tired of all the Geauga Lake dogging. The gloom and doom is unfounded.