CoasterBuzz Podcast #130 - December 22, 2008

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

• The boys can do without the cold.
• Hard Rock Park goes up for auction, nobody bids, PARC kinda thinks it's interested. Great write-up in paper on the saga that is HRP.
• Seriously, while there were the smaller issues that contributed to the failure, if coaster dorks didn't understand what the park was about, how would the public at large?
• Disney limits the bleeding on 1Q room booking by way of their 7-for-4 deal.
• Disney vs. Universal: They're different kinds of vacations. Who spends time at the pool at Disney?
• Kennywood president steps down: Conspiracy or just the course of business?
• Lack of state funding for road at Lake Compounce seems somewhat short-sighted.
• Merlin picks up aquarium at Mall of America. Interesting to see how they diversify.
• Legoland Malaysia? Locals don't get the brand. Remember how Lego nearly died prior to the licensing deals for Star Wars? Jeff wants the Millennium Falcon Lego set. The Lego video games are sweet.
• New York Times has a nice write-up on Christmas events at various theme parks. Gonch asks if all parks would do it, but it probably depends on location and weather. Universal and Disney have amazing holiday events.
• Random TV sidebar: What Jeff is watching.
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