Archive: October, 2009

CoasterBuzz Podcast #162 - October 26, 2009

Download... | Length: 1:03:45 | Size: 29MB | Downloads: 4843

posted by Jeff | Monday, October 26, 2009, 10:57 PM | comments: 0

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

  • Blackstone guy says roller coasters are super awesome for the future of business. Mike makes the point that it's not like they're going anywhere.
  • Kiddieland rides will be auctioned, not relocated as a unit. Some guy e-mailed Jeff asking if he could bid on one of the rides.
  • Freestyle scores some investors, and gets sued some more. Gonch can't believe how bad they're screwing it up, especially in this case where the new owners got it cheap.
  • Spielberg will keep getting his Universal money, so now they can continue to refinance their debt without fear of a big payout to the director.
  • Mike shares some thoughts about doing Disneyland, particularly with really young kids.
  • Kings Island lawsuit settled. The park will not be monetarily punished.
  • Family booted from Busch Gardens Tampa for wearing costumes, and we can't figure out why this is a hot topic. Then we discuss it ourselves for a long time. Bottom line, there was attention whoring at play, and rules were broken. Why do we have to blame someone?
  • Universal Singapore attraction lineup announced. Dueling coasters, one inverted, one not, part of the package. Inverted needs more front seats.
  • Jeff and Mike reminisce about the CoasterBuzz Con at Great America way back in 2003 or something. We had stacks of line cutting passes and free drink coupons.
  • Demon Drop moving to Knott's, and no one understands why. PointBuzz has a nice collection of photos from the 80's and now.
  • Cedar Fair maintains distribution, but they can't be having a good year. Gonch talks about his indifference toward Kings Island.
  • Alcohol in parks: Not good for every situation, but a nice feature in certain parks. Guest composition has a lot of impact on whether or not it's a good idea.
  • CoasterBuzz Club is $25 per year. You can join or renew today. Enjoy CoasterBuzz with no ads.

CoasterBuzz Podcast #161 - October 19, 2009

Download... | Length: 54:29 | Size: 25MB | Downloads: 6280

posted by Jeff | Monday, October 19, 2009, 11:14 PM | comments: 0

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

  • Playland goes POP, and it doesn't go over very well.
  • A guy from Disneyland Paris gets the California gig. This story isn't sexy.
  • Jeff's getting a lot of advice about living on the left coast. Vegas isn't the same when it's all business. He's also gonna miss the easy access to Cedar Point.
  • Knott's and Universal at war for Halloween? It's more an additive arrangement than versus. Gonch can't imagine it's better than what they do at Universal Orlando.
  • Disney stores making a come back? Might be a Steve Jobs inspired experience. You've got to differentiate when everyone sells Disney crap.
  • Raytheon opens shop at Epcot to encourage math and science studies for kids. It's PR, but it's a neat idea.
  • Vivendi considering unloading its share of NBC Universal. Jeff is still troubled by the idea of Comcast owning a broadcast network. They really killed TechTV, which spawned all kinds of other independent new media projects.
  • Son of Beast injury suit goes to trial, which is unusual. Jeff and Carrie share jury duty experiences.
  • Jeff posts video from the CoasterBuzz Club Fall Affair at Holiday World. Carrie reviews the super wet ERT.
  • Google tricycle captures Street View around various amusement parks. Online mapping is fun. We really dig the bird's eye view on Bing Maps.
  • Thorpe Park suspends employees for trying to contact the dead. Allegedly.
  • CoasterBuzz Club is $25 per year. You can join or renew today. Enjoy CoasterBuzz with no ads.

CoasterBuzz Podcast #160 - October 12, 2009

Download... | Length: 1:09:34 | Size: 32MB | Downloads: 6707

posted by Jeff | Monday, October 12, 2009, 11:10 PM | comments: 0

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

  • Once again we welcome Carrie to the show.
  • Blackstone buys Busch Entertainment. Hooray! Right? Anybody?
  • Disneyland's president bails in the middle of a massive re-do at California Adventure. Isn't that odd?
  • Morons get busted at in the Great Adventure parking lot selling fake hand stamps. This happens annually. Gonch found a better deal on the Internet than the scam stamp.
  • Libertyland carousel is going into storage, and the preservationists aren't happy about it. Want a carousel horse in your front window? Jeff likes the band organs. A discussion about brass rings ensues.
  • Jeff is moving to the death valley of roller coasters, the Pacific Northwest.
  • Phantom of the Coney Island, coming to a theatre near you! There's an arena Star Wars orchestra concert tour, Mike says.
  • Walt Disney World wins in the let the disabled folks use Segways lawsuit. And by the way, if you've never been on one, do give it a shot. Epcot has a cheap bastard way for you to try it out.
  • Six Flags gets its out for the New Orleans park. So what's next for the place?
  • Carrie does the Phoenix Phall Phunfest, and likes the fiery bird. Just look out for the covered bridge people.
  • Mike's kid is like a horror film.
  • CoasterBuzz Club is $25 per year. You can join or renew today. Enjoy CoasterBuzz with no ads.

CoasterBuzz Podcast #159 - October 5, 2009

Download... | Length: 51:52 | Size: 23MB | Downloads: 6604

posted by Jeff | Monday, October 5, 2009, 9:44 PM | comments: 0

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

  • Mike reviews a visit to Six Flags Great America with his daughter who enjoys "scary stuff." Park does a nice job, he says.
  • Jeff gives a thumbs up to Cedar Point for their Halloween stuff, especially considering how far it has come along in the last several years.
  • Six Flags Over Georgia opens after the flooding, and apparently no one came out.
  • Kiddieland closure a big deal in Chicago. Mike says there is a slight possibility that someone will buy the rides and relocate elsewhere. Kid wood coasters feel like a bigger deal, especially to kids.
  • Disney starts a blog (late to the party) and wants to bring the focus of discussion into their domain.
  • Jeff says the Busch deal is still rolling, and there may be an announcement very soon.
  • Disney tickets for charity work is a good deal for everyone. Who cares if it's somewhat self-serving if some good comes out of it?
  • Another Six Flags reorganization plan. Why does tiny Six Flags take months to get through bankruptcy while big automakers can do it in a week?
  • Michael Jackson rides being used all over the place on fair and carnival circuits.
  • Comcast allegedly looking into buying NBC Universal. Jeff says there are all kinds of problems around a company that both creates and delivers the content, especially in a digital age. Long discussion ensues about television and such.
  • Mike enjoys his time turning his nephew into a coaster nerd.
  • CoasterBuzz will be temporarily down for a short period of time early Wednesday morning, between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.
  • CoasterBuzz Club is $25 per year. You can join or renew today. Enjoy CoasterBuzz with no ads.