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[The Xtortionist]

Went to Universal Orlando this summer, it was really nice. Had a much better time there than I did at the Disney parks a couple years ago; really the only thing Disney had over it was the fact that it was, well, Disney.

Harry Potter was really impressive, Transformers was great, and the Islands of Adventures coasters were a lot of fun, even if the Dueling Dragons no longer duel The Rock-it coaster or whatever it's called at Universal is fucking terrible, I only spent one day in the Universal park because Islands of Adventures shits all over it.

Trying to round up some friends to go to Cedar Point for a couple days next summer.

Glad you had fun. Universal Orlando is quite amazing.

Odd you didn't mention Mummy in USF. It's easily one of the best rides in the resort, right up there with Forbidden Journey and Transformers imo.

But Islands is definitely a bit better at the moment, though Studios has really come into its own with Despicable Me, Transformers, and the new Springfield area. I think it'll be about on par with Islands once Gringotts opens next year.

 

[aparisi2274]

Glad you had fun. Universal Orlando is quite amazing.

Odd you didn't mention Mummy in USF. It's easily one of the best rides in the resort, right up there with Forbidden Journey and Transformers imo.

But Islands is definitely a bit better at the moment, though Studios has really come into its own with Despicable Me, Transformers, and the new Springfield area. I think it'll be about on par with Islands once Gringotts opens next year.

I just read that they filed a permit for a 18mo project right around the JP area of IOA...which means that something will be ready to open in 2015, right when the new JP Movie hits...

 

[Defect]

Six Flags Mexico 2014

RMC Wooden Coaster / redesign of Medusa

• 98 ft tall
• 58 mph
• multiple inversions

Six Flags Great Adventure had a Medusa coaster. It became Bizarro.

 

[Zoso]

Anybody here rode the RMC coasters like Outlaw Run, Iron Rattler or New Texas Giant yet?
I don't have any near me, but they look really fun. Obviously Six Flags is really happy with them. If only Cedar Fair would hire RMC to rework the Mean Streak...

Six Flags Great Adventure had a Medusa coaster. It became Bizarro.

Six Flags really needs to stop recycling names. It's getting pretty annoying. This new SFGAm coaster will be the 6th ride they have named Goliath.

 

[jtb]

Glad you had fun. Universal Orlando is quite amazing.

Odd you didn't mention Mummy in USF. It's easily one of the best rides in the resort, right up there with Forbidden Journey and Transformers imo.

But Islands is definitely a bit better at the moment, though Studios has really come into its own with Despicable Me, Transformers, and the new Springfield area. I think it'll be about on par with Islands once Gringotts opens next year.

Oh yeah, forgot about the Mummy ride (probably because I had already ridden it at the LA one when it opened a while back, though I heard they have different track layouts? Pretty cool if they did). Really short lines, great experience. Gets a bit stale after the first ride once you know all the gimmicks, but I love the campy sense of humor it's got. Definitely my second favorite ride in the park after Transformers.

A new Jurassic Park ride is such a no-brainer and long overdue. The water ride is fine, but if ever there was a movie franchise fucking tailor made for the Spiderman/Transformers treatment, it's 3D dinosaurs. the Jurassic Park section of IOA is enormous and yet it's practically empty. Plus, it's even a Universal property! Huge waste at the moment.

Actually, that reminds me how pleasant an overall experience most of the rides were simply because they were high capacity rides staffed by highly efficient personnel, kept the lines very reasonable. Another strike against the Rock-it coaster for me, 12 people per train means the lines are unbearably long.

 

[Anticitizen One]

I just read that they filed a permit for a 18mo project right around the JP area of IOA...which means that something will be ready to open in 2015, right when the new JP Movie hits...

Supposedly it's for a Mine cart ride through an amber mine which is ok but I was really hoping for a more authentic JP experince like the Jeep Tour, the helicoptor simulator that they originally planned for IOA, or a new walkthrough with various dinosaurs you can interact with.

 

[krameriffic]

Oh yeah, forgot about the Mummy ride (probably because I had already ridden it at the LA one when it opened a while back, though I heard they have different track layouts? Pretty cool if they did). Really short lines, great experience. Gets a bit stale after the first ride once you know all the gimmicks, but I love the campy sense of humor it's got. Definitely my second favorite ride in the park after Transformers.

I would have enjoyed this interview more if I'd GOTTEN MY CUP OF COFFEE!

 

[Branduil]

Oh yeah, forgot about the Mummy ride (probably because I had already ridden it at the LA one when it opened a while back, though I heard they have different track layouts? Pretty cool if they did). Really short lines, great experience. Gets a bit stale after the first ride once you know all the gimmicks, but I love the campy sense of humor it's got. Definitely my second favorite ride in the park after Transformers.

A new Jurassic Park ride is such a no-brainer and long overdue. The water ride is fine, but if ever there was a movie franchise fucking tailor made for the Spiderman/Transformers treatment, it's 3D dinosaurs. the Jurassic Park section of IOA is enormous and yet it's practically empty. Plus, it's even a Universal property! Huge waste at the moment.

Actually, that reminds me how pleasant an overall experience most of the rides were simply because they were high capacity rides staffed by highly efficient personnel, kept the lines very reasonable. Another strike against the Rock-it coaster for me, 12 people per train means the lines are unbearably long.

I was disappointed by the Rockit Roller Coaster. Poor song selection and the harnesses are uncomfortable.

 

[Anticitizen One]

I wish the Mummy ride had a cohesive story like the Indiana Jones ride rather than a hodge podge of random stuff.

 

[Nelo Ice]

All this Universal Orlando talks makes me wish Hollywood had could fit half the stuff at IOA or USO. Haven't been to USH though but probably will be back whenever HP land opens, though I can't wait to try the Despicable Me ride.

 

[The Xtortionist]

I wish the Mummy ride had a cohesive story like the Indiana Jones ride rather than a hodge podge of random stuff.

No ride is perfect but Mummy is probably the ride that overcomes its shortcomings the most for me. It entertains in so many ways...fun dark ride section, massive fire effects, a backwards drop, a launch, good airtime, darkness, the fake ending, and it even takes your picture. The low wait times this consistently gets is fucking criminal.

Could definitely use a more cohesive narrative though. The museum part of the queue, the facade, and the ending could all use a do-over imo to make more sense. Scarab projection might also need an upgrade.

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

I just finished this throwback attraction poster for the long lost Epcot Center ride, Journey Into Imagination.

Figured I would share it with the rest of the theme park/attraction nerds on GAF.

Ok thats amazing!
I LOVE IT!

 

[Jag]

The low wait times this consistently gets is fucking criminal.

I think the low wait times are a gift. After spending so much time in line, it is simply awesome to just walk up to a ride and jump on, then go back and do it again.

I was a little misty when Universal got rid of Jaws, but after seeing how dated some of the 70s/80s rides are I realize that they need to trash it all and update it. My kids could care less about ET and that ride is an embarrassment at Captain EO levels.

 

[Klaymen]

I love Captain EO.

 

[mclem]

I just read that they filed a permit for a 18mo project right around the JP area of IOA...which means that something will be ready to open in 2015, right when the new JP Movie hits...

There's been talk for ages (at least a decade, I think) about a "Jurassic Park Jeep Adventure" as a counterpart to the "River Adventure". Maybe that could be it at long last?

 

[BigJonsson]

New to Canada's Wonderland

https://www.canadaswonderland.com/what-s-new/new-for-2014

4D dark ride/coaster inside the mountain


Could be cool, no videos or mock ups yet though

 

[awanderingsoul]

I'm going to be going to Alton Towers next week now the school holidays have finished and they are all back in school! First time this year so really looking forward to riding Smiler for the first time, looks fantastic (as far as UK rides go).

 

[captive]

Six Flags Great Adventure had a Medusa coaster. It became Bizarro.

I rode it when it was called Medusa, was a pretty awesome ride.

Iron Rattler wasn't open when we went to Fiesta Texas in April. I really wanted to ride that.

 

[3N16MA]

Anyone going to Halloween Haunt this year at Canada's Wonderland?

 

[aparisi2274]

I rode it when it was called Medusa, was a pretty awesome ride.

Iron Rattler wasn't open when we went to Fiesta Texas in April. I really wanted to ride that.

I loved Medusa at SF GADv, but then they go and rename it to Bizarro and put up all these cheap effects on it... I don't even think those effects work anymore.

Anyone remember Sidewinder? I think that was the name of the coaster that was where El Toro is now...

 

[Skunkers]

I was disappointed by the Rockit Roller Coaster. Poor song selection and the harnesses are uncomfortable.

You can google it, but there's a tremendous list of secret songs you can listen to instead of the generic default songs.

 

[D-Pad]

So Six Flags over Georgia is expanding its water park in 2014.

Freaking why?

Did the park forget they own White Water as well? Why not expand that?

Waste of space, imo that could have been used for something better

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/breaking-news/six-flags-to-splash-into-2014-with-hurricane-harbo/nZgPK/

 

[The Xtortionist]

You can google it, but there's a tremendous list of secret songs you can listen to instead of the generic default songs.

Riding to "Movin Right Along" by The Muppets is quite an experience.

 

[Exterminieren]

You can google it, but there's a tremendous list of secret songs you can listen to instead of the generic default songs.

Night on Bald Mountain makes it one hell of a ride.

 

[Doctor West]

I just finished this throwback attraction poster for the long lost Epcot Center ride, Journey Into Imagination.

Figured I would share it with the rest of the theme park/attraction nerds on GAF.

That's really well done! I loved Figment as a kid and still have a plush of him from way back when. Is he completely gone from WDW? Sadly, there is no trace of him in Disneyland.

 

[RoyalFool]

I'm going to be going to Alton Towers next week now the school holidays have finished and they are all back in school! First time this year so really looking forward to riding Smiler for the first time, looks fantastic (as far as UK rides go).

I found it to be rather poor, a couple of the turns are so painful that you have to "brace yourself" for them which takes away a lot of the enjoyment - went on it 3 times and had weird scratch like bruising all over my shoulders the next day. But maybe that's just me!

After 20 odd years I finally decided to queue for Nemesis front-row (all of 4 minutes!) and that is still by far the best ride at the park.

 

[Zoso]

Heide Park 2014
http://www.heide-park.de/wingcoaster2014

B&M Wing Coaster
• 40 m high
• 772 m long
• 100 kph
• 5 in versions
• 15 million euro

Gorgeous.

Wow, this looks like the best wing coaster yet. Look at that airtime hill and the weird pretzel inversion! Why can't the USA be this creative with their layouts?

 

[aparisi2274]

I was disappointed by the Rockit Roller Coaster. Poor song selection and the harnesses are uncomfortable.

They just redid the trains for that ride, to make it a smoother ride. I guess they did not fix the harness.

You can google it, but there's a tremendous list of secret songs you can listen to instead of the generic default songs.

If you do that secret song selection, it breaks something else for your ride... I think it kills the camera feed or something, I dont remember exactly, but I know it was something that would ruin your ride if you cared about shit like that.

 

[awanderingsoul]

I found it to be rather poor, a couple of the turns are so painful that you have to "brace yourself" for them which takes away a lot of the enjoyment - went on it 3 times and had weird scratch like bruising all over my shoulders the next day. But maybe that's just me!

After 20 odd years I finally decided to queue for Nemesis front-row (all of 4 minutes!) and that is still by far the best ride at the park.

Thats not what I expected to hear, well i'm looking forward to it none the less. Will try to get on Nemesis front and back row aswell, love that ride! Looking forward to giving Th13teen another try as well, really enjoyed when it opened and hoping it as fun as it was then.

 

[theytookourjobz]

Oh yeah, forgot about the Mummy ride (probably because I had already ridden it at the LA one when it opened a while back, though I heard they have different track layouts? Pretty cool if they did). Really short lines, great experience. Gets a bit stale after the first ride once you know all the gimmicks, but I love the campy sense of humor it's got. Definitely my second favorite ride in the park after Transformers.

A new Jurassic Park ride is such a no-brainer and long overdue. The water ride is fine, but if ever there was a movie franchise fucking tailor made for the Spiderman/Transformers treatment, it's 3D dinosaurs. the Jurassic Park section of IOA is enormous and yet it's practically empty. Plus, it's even a Universal property! Huge waste at the moment.

Actually, that reminds me how pleasant an overall experience most of the rides were simply because they were high capacity rides staffed by highly efficient personnel, kept the lines very reasonable. Another strike against the Rock-it coaster for me, 12 people per train means the lines are unbearably long.

Dinosaur at Disney's Animal Kingdom is awesome. It's like Harry Potter mixed with Jurassic Park.

 

[aparisi2274]

Dinosaur at Disney's Animal Kingdom is awesome. It's like Harry Potter mixed with Jurassic Park.

It's pretty much the exact same ride system employed at Disneyland for the Indiana Jones ride...

I wish we had that ride at WDW...

 

[Y-Z]

Been to Gardaland last tuesday on holiday in Italy. Pretty cool theme park but in my opineon the attractions are too shattered around. It's like you have to walk past 20 shops / games before you can enter something. The rollercoasters where great though. Especially the Space one and The Raptor.

 

[SmithnCo]

It's pretty much the exact same ride system employed at Disneyland for the Indiana Jones ride...

I wish we had that ride at WDW...

Yeah, even if they use the same track layouts they're pretty different. I'd take that over the stunt show I guess.

 

[HighAmperage]

also (been reading through the thread now... subscribed!), my god Twister was embarrassingly terrible.

Yeah, jeez...one has to figure that it has to be on the chopping block soon. Those same weather effects on a full-blown dark ride could have been amazing; wouldn't have to be a coaster or anything crazy...I'm thinking something like Living With The Land and Then Having to Deal With A Bunch of Tornadoes. I can't believe they settled for what it ended up being. But clearly that was during a period when Uni wasn't quite confident enough to spend as much money as they are now. And god almighty, that interminable pre-show. I'm such a sucker for dark rides and effects shows like this though, I still at least mildly enjoy it once I finally get to stand there and watch. But there's no way it survives the new wave much longer. The thing that amazes me most is that Lucy: A Tribute is still standing, not that it's taking up space for some huge attraction, but that's almost as gobsmacking as Impressions De France hanging on unchanged at Epcot since 1982.

edit: don't get me wrong, I love and am all for keeping the old stuff around as long as possible as nostalgia is an immense factor in why I still go to theme parks in the first place. I'd much rather have World of Motion than friggin Test Track, to name just one.

 

[The Xtortionist]

I'm fine with Twister since the building its in is tiny as hell. It's not really taking up much space or bothering anything, and I think it would be really tough to replace it with anything significant (since Rockit would prolly have to be shut down as well during construction). It's cool to just get in the air conditioning and check out some fire effects.

Meh, but inoffensive.

 

[thefro]

I'm fine with Twister since the building its in is tiny as hell. It's not really taking up much space or bothering anything, and I think it would be really touch to replace it with anything significant (since Rockit would prolly have to be shut down as well during construction). It's cool to just get in the air conditioning and check out some fire effects.

Meh, but inoffensive.

If Ghostbusters 3 ever comes out maybe they could change it back to the a revamped Ghostbusters show. I think the layout of the building is pretty much completely the same, just rethemed to Twister.

 

[Branduil]

Yeah, jeez...one has to figure that it has to be on the chopping block soon. Those same weather effects on a full-blown dark ride could have been amazing; wouldn't have to be a coaster or anything crazy...I'm thinking something like Living With The Land and Then Having to Deal With A Bunch of Tornadoes. I can't believe they settled for what it ended up being. But clearly that was during a period when Uni wasn't quite confident enough to spend as much money as they are now. And god almighty, that interminable pre-show. I'm such a sucker for dark rides and effects shows like this though, I still at least mildly enjoy it once I finally get to stand there and watch. But there's no way it survives the new wave much longer. The thing that amazes me most is that Lucy: A Tribute is still standing, not that it's taking up space for some huge attraction, but that's almost as gobsmacking as Impressions De France hanging on unchanged at Epcot since 1982.

edit: don't get me wrong, I love and am all for keeping the old stuff around as long as possible as nostalgia is an immense factor in why I still go to theme parks in the first place. I'd much rather have World of Motion than friggin Test Track, to name just one.

I want the old Test Track back.

 

[Lionel Mandrake]

So Six Flags over Georgia is expanding its water park in 2014.

Freaking why?

Did the park forget they own White Water as well? Why not expand that?

Waste of space, imo that could have been used for something better

Ugh. I do not enjoy waterparks at all, and the southeast has enough of them. Six Flags Over Georgia is the only "decent" theme park in the region, and it never seems to get any improvements outside of cloning an occasional coaster from a different Six Flags.

 

[Lee Chaolan]

Anyone going to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party soon?

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

So Six Flags over Georgia is expanding its water park in 2014.

Freaking why?

Did the park forget they own White Water as well? Why not expand that?

Waste of space, imo that could have been used for something better

I just wish they would remove the Axis stadium and build a new Batman themed coaster.
don't even care if its something small like Gotham City Gauntlet
Or at least bring back the old Batman stunt show if they insist on keeping the stadium.

such a waste of space you could probably fit a super coaster, small coaster and a shop/restaurant in that one spot.

 

[Xun]

New art from the Shanghai Disneyland castle has leaked:

Thoughts? Although I don't mind it, I personally wish it was a bit more unique in design.

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

New art from the Shanghai Disneyland castle has leaked:

Thoughts? Although I don't mind it, I personally wish it was a bit more unique in design.

The thing is huge, but it just feels like an horror vacui design of the Disney movies logo (that is already a conglomerate of the exisiting castles, but done in a more exquisite style than Sanghai IMO).
And if you took off the top it looks more like a real palace than a castle, Maybe all that wall is done for the liberty to have better lightining shows I suppose.
Looking it at it more, I dont really hate it (probably becuase I love the idea of it being so big, and seeing the shangai map concept, I understand what they are trying to go for) but I prefer the other castles (original and paris are my favourites, one for being cozzy and the other for being a fairy fantasy epic).

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

Saw a special about Disney World that included the new Fantasyland.
That Be Our Guest restaurant, good god.
I didn't think they could ever top Tower of Terror theming...

haven't been to Disney in years(nearly 8 I think) but I need to start planning a trip back soon.
If I do go at least im out of that teenage jerk phase so I can enjoy Magic Kingdom more.
whats the ETA for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train?

 

[lush]

Anyone gone to Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando yet? Driving down and staying the 11th-14th. Looks pretty good this year though I wish they'd have had an icon this year, Walking Dead is a weak theme for me.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

Anyone gone to Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando yet? Driving down and staying the 11th-14th. Looks pretty good this year though I wish they'd have had an icon this year, Walking Dead is a weak theme for me.

Resident Evil is a good theme though Universal Japan did it better.

 

[lush]

Resident Evil is a good theme though Universal Japan did it better.

Walking Dead is the overall theme for his year's HHN, as in all of the scarezones are themed to it and that's what's being used for marketing purposes. Looking forward to the Resident Evil house though, along with the Cabin in the Woods house.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

Walking Dead is the overall theme for his year's HHN, as in all of the scarezones are themed to it and that's what's being used for marketing purposes. Looking forward to the Resident Evil house though, along with the Cabin in the Woods house.

Oh ok, didn't know it was overall.
I agree then, as good as Walking Dead is it would be boring as the full theme.

 

[Freyjadour]

Saw a special about Disney World that included the new Fantasyland.
That Be Our Guest restaurant, good god.
I didn't think they could ever top Tower of Terror theming...

haven't been to Disney in years(nearly 8 I think) but I need to start planning a trip back soon.
If I do go at least im out of that teenage jerk phase so I can enjoy Magic Kingdom more.
whats the ETA for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train?

2014.

And Be Our Guest is neat, but it's basically three themed dining areas right inside the doors. Feels just like a cruise ship dining area really.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

2014.

And Be Our Guest is neat, but it's basically three themed dining areas right inside the doors. Feels just like a cruise ship dining area really.

Thanks.
probably my love of BATB making me feel that way but the theming just seems amazing(the murel and music box as extra nice details).
and that they did all that just for a restaurant is cool.

though if I do go I think I would prefer eating in the wings to the ballroom.
ballroom seems like it would be a little bit crowded and alot of echoing.

 

[ThreePiMatt]

Just throwing this out there, I live in Gurnee, IL just a short drive from Six Flags Great America. I drove past it this morning and it looks like the guys building the new Goliath roller coaster are on strike. I didn't get a great look, just saw a few construction guys milling about and a sign that said "Goliath Mistake." There was some other stuff on the sign I couldn't read.