CoasterBuzz Podcast #161 - October 19, 2009

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.
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