Archive: June, 2009

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

• The Fall Affair at Holiday World promises to be a big deal. Register today! Gonch will be there if others show up.
• Walt Disney museum on target for fall opening in San Francisco. Gonch wonders what he'd think about the company today.
• People go to hospital after excess chemicals let into water at Holiday World's Splashin' Safari. Jeff doesn't want to think of the nasty stuff in public swimming areas. Hot tubs are even worse when it comes to genetic filth.
• Son of Beast closed after another alleged accident. Why did they even bother hanging on to that ride after the last accident?
• US military helps Iraqis restore amusement park. How important is it culturally to get amusement parks open in a post-war mess?
• Busch Tampa getting the Sesame Street treatment. Gonch wonders if there's enduring love for the show. Jeff finds Kermit's cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" very disturbing.
• Six Flags continues marketing agreement with Chrysler, showing cars in 13 parks.
• Epcot Test Track GM sponsorship in limbo as deadline passes. The boys think GM would be nuts to let go of the deal.
• Speaking of transportation, Jeff saw a thing History Channel about crumbling infrastructure.
• Disney strikes a deal with Hong Kong for expansion.
• PETA unleashes their pain over a dead dolphin at Discovery Cove.
• Lakeside Cyclone closed until, whenever, to get it ready for 70th anniversary.
• Saw franchise coming to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando.
• Legoland has a contest to hire master builders. Anyone see the Mythbusters episode with the giant Lego ball?
• More iPhone apps available for ride wait times, but they depend on user participation to be of any use.
• San Antonio paper says parks aren't reporting accidents and state isn't enforcing reporting according to the law.
• Twitter is the latest land grab as far as trademark infringement goes.
• CoasterBuzz Club will be going up in price soon, to $25, after eight years at $20. You can still join or renew today at the old rate. Jeff explains why the increase is coming.

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

• CoasterBuzz Club will be going up in price soon after eight years at $20. You can still join or renew today at the old rate. Jeff explains why the increase is coming.
• Trip reports can now be associated with parks, so your reports are more easily found by park. It comes as part of a minor forum upgrade.
• The Six Flags bankruptcy story continues to unfold, and the company wants everyone to know that yes, we are open. This really sounds like a turn around point for the company.
• PointBuzz posts Starlight Experience high definition video feature. Interesting stuff about the IT used to create a huge distributed theatrical lighting system.
• There are a bunch of seasonal workers on standby to string up the ultimate Christmas lights at your house now.
• The technology has come so far and is available at all levels. The boys are nostalgic about rock light shows, and when it wasn't cool to have light shows.
• Paralyzed Marine's family makes a stink about free admission to Michigan's Adventure, comment storm ensues.
• Is the Internet doomed to be a big pile of negativity, or is it really just a reflection of real life?
• Speaking of technology, it's so easy to take for granted the amazing things we have today, especially if you were born in the 70's. We're old.
• Lots of discounts and deals out there if you look around for them. USA Today had some examples.
• Cedar Fair doesn't seem to have any strategy about how to market Cedar Point and Kings Island in the same state.
• Mom blames park security for losing her kid.
• Save the clock tower! The town square is back at Universal Hollywood.
• Is Orlando on a blacklist for government meetings because it's too fun? Jeff thinks it's stupid that it and Vegas are negatively viewed for this reason.
• Freestyle plugging away and doing the right things, but Gonch and Jeff don't understand why they had to happen instead of the old stuff. Could have been in addition to.
• We appreciate your support of CoasterBuzz by joining the club. It's only $20 per year, and your membership helps support this podcast.
• The Fall Affair at Holiday World promises to be a big deal. Register today!

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

• The Kaitlyn Lasitter story largely draws to a close for those of us who are public observers, but it's just getting started for her. We're all inspired by her positive attitude following the accident.
• Beech Bend: Built on cash, not credit.
• This year's stupid embezzling criminal busted at Dorney, stealing from games.
• Geauga Lake's water park lives on. Tax impact to the local communities is significant.
• Helicopter crash lands in parking lot at Australian park. Riding in those things is strange.
• There's an iPhone app now for lines at Disney World, which depends on users to keep up the data. Will people do it? People don't contribute a lot to CoasterBuzz either. Why don't parks do their own mobile Web sites for wait times? Universal did once upon a time, but it's hard to find.
• PointBuzz posts photos and high definition video from Cedar Point's Starlight Experience.
• Congo River opens at Schlitterbahn. We think the Schlitterblog is really cool.
• Six Flags files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It's hardly something that was unexpected. Will this be the reset Six Flags needs to finally reach its potential? Gonch thinks so.
• Kings Dominion is building something for next year, and Jeff has a pretty good idea that it'll be worth holding off a visit for.
• We appreciate your support of CoasterBuzz by joining the club. It's only $20 per year, and your membership helps support this podcast.
• No one wants to harm the Canadians, but you'll need a passport now to round-trip through Canada.
• The Fall Affair at Holiday World promises to be a big deal. Register today!

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

• Another Coastermania in the books. PointBuzz has the recording of Ron Toomer's talk for download.
• ERT at Coastermania isn't that exclusive, given the crowd size, but people complained. Gonch asks what the expectation is for events. Jeff reminds people that the park doesn't owe you anything, and this particular event gets you a lot extra for nothing.
• Jeff recalls a ridiculous story of entitlement on a closing day.
• FastPass gets a lot of action in the forums. Virtual queuing always gets a rise out of some people, even when it works exceptionally well, as is the case with Disney.
• Jeff saw Fanboys, the movie about Star Wars geeks road tripping to Skywalker Ranch. It was entertaining.
• Mom freaks out over Playboy logo poster as a prize at an amusement park.
• Cedar Fair sends a strongly worded letter to Santa Clara over the 49ers deal. We assume two outcomes: Cedar Fair gets to sell the park or it blocks the stadium project.
• A lone defender sticks up for Etheredge, the guy who hosed Wild West World.
• Activists want to force Disney to allow Segways for anyone. Jeff says this would be an epic safety failure.
• Gravity Group posts video from their new coaster in China. Check out Gravitycast.
• We appreciate your support of CoasterBuzz by joining the club. It's only $20 per year, and your membership helps support this podcast.
• Fall Affair at Holiday World, the registration form is up! Get it here.
• The podcast is like MasterCard... priceless.
• Gonch wonders if Kings Island ever has slow days, because he's never been there on one.
• Jeff reviews the Starlight Experience at Cedar Point, and it is good.

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

• Mike quit his job, CoasterBuzz is Jeff's job and Gonch has issues with his house.
• What are your expectations for the length of this show?
• Worlds of Fun opens its GCI, and Jeff says you can't go wrong with those trains.
• Terminator coaster opens at Six Flags Magic Mountain, and Jeff gets the feeling the ride is a lot better than the movie. Christian Bale's silly tirade against the DP was definitely not warranted.
• Six Flags turn around continues, and some comments on the Internet imply that there's still some negative reputation to overcome.
• Obamabot joins the Robot Army of Presidents at Magic Kingdom. Jeff wonders what his speech will be as the other presibots creepily stare at him.
• Disney promotions continue, but for how long?
• Waldameer thrives, so why didn't Conneaut? Gonch says it's partly location, Jeff thinks a lack or reinvestment didn't help either.
• Freestyle getting lots of positive feedback, as it becomes ever more clear that the Hard Rock Park guys really didn't get how to market the place.
• Six Flags New Orleans a symbol of non-recovery. Someone posted video of the dark ride showing just how much of a loss it really is.
• Carowinds job applicant denied because of her dreadlocks. The online debate centers around what the park "can" do and "should" do.
• We're trying to get the band together at the Fall Affair at Holiday World this year. The event flyer has been posted!
• We appreciate your support of CoasterBuzz by joining the club. It's only $20 per year, and your membership helps support this podcast.