Archive: April, 2008

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

• Kings Island construction: What do you think of our lovely footer? What's the deal with Tomb Raider, now The Crypt? Jeff loved the Tomb Raider theme. Gonch doesn't care.
• SeaWorld Orlando is apparently building a B&M flying coaster. Bummer for height requirements, but given Busch's recent track record, we expect a good ride.
• PointBuzz has a list of new goodies at Cedar Point. Gonch feels the kids attraction list is pretty huge, and Planet Snoopy is a solid upgrade.
• Kennywood tax dispute settled, and they'll still pay up. A state bill has been proposed to eliminate the amusement taxes.
• Disneyland chief outlines the future, including a new park. Perhaps after they get California Adventure right. Mike says he'd put a water park there.
• Strange communication about people interested in saving Geauga Lake's Big Dipper surfaces, gets ACE indirectly involved when it shouldn't have, and smells like agenda mining.
• Gonch has been smoke free for three plus months, doing it on the buddy system.
• Flash Pass system allegedly sending people to the back of the train. It's like a coaster rights controversy or something. Gonch says this premium queue thing isn't going away regardless.
• What's a good deal?
• Six Flags Great America wants $25 for you to park up close, and $15 for the rest of the lot. Are you kidding?

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

• Michigan amusement park reaches point of regulatory scrutiny, but it still seems like a strange idea in a state with a horrible economy.
• PointBuzz celebrates ten years of serving Cedar Point fans. Jeff can't think of anything else he did for ten years!
• Schlitterbahn announces re-themed slide. It's amazing the extent that they take water parks to.
• Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom accident story gets worse, as depositions imply a lack of preventative maintenance, or maintenance not prescribed by the manufacturer.
• No Dark Knight coaster for Six Flags New England, and instead there's a parade. Mike says they can build the same ride and theme it to something different instead of the movie tie-in.
• Six Flags licensing its brand for a park in China, and previously with a Middle East park. What is the Six Flags brand really worth outside of the United States?
• Shapiro tells NAB that Six Flags wants to be a content company. Jeff speculates that this is the bigger picture they need outside of the amusement business to pull themselves out of the rut they're in. Perhaps better parks won't be enough otherwise.
• First quarter numbers are up, in part because of Easter's placement. Hard to say if that's meaningful.
• Off-topic: Road construction in the Midwest.
• Gate Central system rolling out around Cedar Fair legacy parks making for a faster processing system. Mike's wife hates recycling pass pictures year to year.

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

• Great Escape sickness outbreak reaches nearly 500. Is that the mechanics of pool chemicals or just the risk of getting in water with people?
• The Six Flags New England construction saga continues, and we still can't figure out how you start building a $7 million attraction and don't get the right permits.
• Geauga Lake auction coming up, including the wood coasters, Double Loop, the boomerang and the family coaster. Can Jeff score a Skee-Ball machine?
• Moody's kicks Six Flags' credit rating.
• Fair operator set to close on Wild West World, and we have reasonable hopes that an established business understands they need cash to run it.
• Kings Island insurance decision overturned by court. What good is insurance if you never get it paid out?
• Six Flags Over Georgia drilling wells for water rides. But aren't the crappers the real culprits in water consumption?
• Kentucky legislation requiring 18-year-old ride operators is completely arbitrary and not based on data. That's stupid.
• Great article from the LA Times on international expansion. Check it out.
• Six Flags renews contract with Nintendo for Wii Experience. What good is it when you still can't buy one? Isn't the Wii actually competition for Six Flags?
• New ride at Universal Studios Florida looks cool. Islands of Adventure is poorly marketed and people don't know what it is until they get there.
• Mardi Gras is crazy at Universal. Still PG, and you don't need to show your goodies to get beads.