CoasterBuzz Podcast #137 - April 20, 2009

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

• Recap of the party on a boat, which Gonch missed. Jeff is happily married now.
• Adventureland suffers from indifferent reviews, and Jeff thinks it was sold completely wrong. Kennywood is more or less just a background for the story.
• Diamondback opens at Kings Island and it is good. Gonch and Jeff take a number of spins and are surprised at the intensity. Listen for a complete review.
• Opening day at Kings Island yields enormous lines for Diamondback, and the public appear to love it.
• CoasterBuzz posts HD video of Diamondback, starring Gonch.
• Hard Rock Park former owners own the IP? Seriously? Does it matter now that they've changed it to the horrible name, Freestyle Music Park?
• Six Flags may be facing bankruptcy, but the management team is looking at potential bonuses for getting them through it. The hate toward anyone making a lot of money ignores the skill required to lead a company.
• Universal Hollywood is getting the Google Maps street view treatment. It's creepy, but incredibly useful.
• Ghost Town bankruptcy causes a chain reaction to small businesses that served it.
• Coney Island drama continues, as NYC makes play to buy some of the property owned by Thor Equities.
• Virginia parks saying things are starting out well. We hate the term "staycation," but are the parks positioned for success in this economy? Gonch thinks so.
• Researchers put out attendance report but Jeff is annoyed that they don't establish credibility or show their methodology. Busch Entertainment says they're about 10% off.
• Universal Orlando is trying to sell itself to consumers like it's a used car dealer, according to surveys they're sending out. Jeff is annoyed that they want to compete on price instead of the awesome experiences they can offer.
• Orlando parks do well over the Easter holiday time. Is this an indication of economic recovery or the heavy discounting?
• Waldameer's Disk-O is going up, and they're pretty cool rides. The stand-up version is kind of weird.
• Jeff and Gonch got to ride Diamondback with the mayor of Cincinnati, and it was entertaining.
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