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Theme Parks & Roller Coasters |OT| The Happiest Place on GAF

Both companies are at fault. What did Cedar Fair do, besides the water park, that encouraged guests to keep visiting? Most figured the park closed when Sea World was bought.

Negative perception set in when they started ripping out rides and failed to add any small to medium attractions of value. Cornhole was the biggest addition after the failed phase two of Wild Water Kingdom. Cedar Fair did next to nothing to save the park.

Cedar Fair bought Geauga Lake so they could shut it down. It seems pretty obvious at this point.

And while the story of Geauga Lake is certainly tragic, and Cedar Fair's handling of it was loathsome, Ohio doesn't need three huge amusement parks. The market was saturated and eventually one of them was going to go down, and it was always going to be Geauga Lake.

It's sad, but it was inevitable.
 

Nelo Ice

Banned
I work at Blue Man, so I'm a 3rd party Universal employee. Regardless, our prices on the 3 different frequent fear passes are $62, $73 and $88, but I'm out of town for my real job for the 3 weeks.
Ahh not bad. And no worries, have a friend who knows people at Universal, so hopefully can snag a discounted ticket or fear pass.
 

zeemumu

Member
I've been on Peter Pan 4 times in my few years of being a Disneyland goer, just alway 30+. Wish I could go on Midway Mania more, but that is always 45+.

Going this Friday/Sunday, renewing my pass. I can renew my pass with the monthly payment there right?

You should be able to change your payment type to monthly if you need to when it comes time to renew your pass. That's probably what I'll be doing.
 

aparisi2274

Member
So, Screamscape has been stoking the fires of a possible 5th Gate at WDW due to Disney purchasing a lot of land in the Flamingo Springs area...

Supposedly, they now oen 3000 acres, and Marriott is supposed to build (2) hotels on that site, and Disney has reserved 300 acres for "something"

To followup on that rumor, Screamscape posted a story today discussing what we might see in the park....

So if Disney were to be planning a 5th theme park, the big question is going to be… what would the theme(s) of it be?
Finding something that is the right fit for Walt Disney World may be tougher than you might think, as the best idea would be something that would not be a repeat of anything that already exists, while still being able to compliment the themes and ideas already used in the other parks.
For example… many of your might scream for a Star Wars themed park… and while this could be a possible idea, the existence of Star Tours over at the Studios park might make this troublesome.
Marvel? Not going to happen… at least not without Disney coming to some kind of terms with Universal for a partial or full buy-out of their current Marvel contract for Islands of Adventure.
Pixar? Possible… as I’m sure we would see some elements from Pixar films in a 5th theme park, but I doubt we would see an entire park themed to nothing but Pixar films. Especially as many of Pixar’s big films already have attractions spread throughout the Walt Disney World parks: Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin at the Magic Kingdom, It’s Tough To Be A Bug at Animal Kingdom and Toy Story Midway Mania over at the Studios.
Frozen? Ehhhh… not going to go there. Plus Frozen is coming to Epcot. But for a fun tonuge-in-cheek look at what an entire park themed to Frozen could be like, TotalOrlando has come ideas.
Perhaps our best clues could come in the form of what Disney Imagineering is rumored to have been toying with for themed for other possible land and park themes elsewhere in the world, as well as hit attractions that have opened at parks outside Florida that may not fit very well into one of the four existing parks. For example, one of the rumored possible themed for a 3rd park planned for California was said to have an overall theme about “Heroes and Adventure”, which sounds a lot like Islands of Adventure, doesn’t it? While the overall concept sounds like a solid base to build upon, many of the rumored land concepts (Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar and Pixar) might not work in Florida.
Looking to Tokyo DisneySea, as well as the Hong Kong and Shanghai Disneyland parks might also shed some light on attraction ideas, allowing Disney to hand-pick some of the more popular rides from each park. Hong Kong’s Mystic Manor certainly is very popular, and features a trackless ride system we haven’t seen used in the US yet. While the Shanghai park is adding many Disney staples, there are a few unique ideas like the Tron Lightcycles Power Run coaster, or the rumored new flume ride system said to be put to use for their version of Pirates of the Caribbean that could be repurposed to work with a new theme. Of course the greatest collection of ideas we haven’t seen anywhere in the US could come from DisneySea… with hit attractions like StormRider, Aquatopia, Journey to the Center of the Earth, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage, Raging Spirits or even a copy of Indiana Jones: Temple of the Crystal Skull would fit in nicely (especially if they retire the Indy show at the studios).
Of course, looking back, the most popular idea that became all the rage with the internet’s Disney fans many years ago was the rumored concept for a Villians park, also known as Dark Kingdom. I kind of like the idea of a mixture of a Heroes/Adventure park concept with the Dark Kingdom concept myself. In the end, the possibilities are endless, so we’ll just have to wait and see if this rumored 5th gate plan comes true or not.

So what do you think? I personally would love if they took the best attractions from the overseas parks and put them in FL. I for one have been on many of the rides at DisneySea and I think they would go over very well with the crowds that show up to WDW....

Sound off Theme Park Gaf... What do you want to see??
 
For example… many of your might scream for a Star Wars themed park… and while this could be a possible idea, the existence of Star Tours over at the Studios park might make this troublesome.
This seems like a flimsy justification for why a Star Wars park wouldn't work.

With Universal's Harry Potter parks being such a massive success, I think it has to be something in that vein. And considering a Marvel park isn't feasible at this particular point in time, Star Wars seems like the obvious choice.

Yup, I'm going with a Star Wars park.
 

aparisi2274

Member
This seems like a flimsy justification for why a Star Wars park wouldn't work.

With Universal's Harry Potter parks being such a massive success, I think it has to be something in that vein. And considering a Marvel park isn't feasible at this particular point in time, Star Wars seems like the obvious choice.

Yup, I'm going with a Star Wars park.

yes, but you need to remember that Disney has 300 acres set aside for this park... I can't imagine that they would be able to theme every area of it to Star Wars...

The Harry Potter stuff are not entire parks, but sections within parks....
 
It'll just be more hotels.

The only park in good shape is Magic Kingdom. Animal Kingdom will be once a full Avatarland is open and at least one more ride. Hollywood and Epcot are a mess. A 5th gate makes no sense.
 
In my dreams, Nintendo licensed out their IP for a fifth gate. But the overseas attractions sound awesome and the most likely. It's just a matter of what the theme will be. I don't necessarily want a copy of Disney Sea. I want a reason to go there someday.
 
yes, but you need to remember that Disney has 300 acres set aside for this park... I can't imagine that they would be able to theme every area of it to Star Wars...

The Harry Potter stuff are not entire parks, but sections within parks....

Fair point, though Harry Potter honestly could work as an entire standalone park. There's plenty of material for attractions. I think Star Wars could as well.

It certainly could end up being only a Star Wars section, but I'd imagine there would almost certainly be a massive Star Wars presence in whatever this park ends up being.

A Pixar park seems like a longshot. I don't think there's any need for Disney to fence off their animated properties like that. Most people probably don't even distinguish between Disney's Pixar films and Disney's non-Pixar animated films.
 

flyover

Member
I think Star Wars could sustain a whole park. But I also wouldn't be surprised if it just winds up taking over everything to the left of the hat in DHS:

gRBtIu3.png


Really, the only non-Star-Wars attraction in that whole area that anyone would miss is the Muppets. And maybe it could move or still live there as an island amidst the Star Wars theming.
 

Xun

Member
TDO can't even maintain 4 theme parks, let alone 5 theme parks.

If the current parks were in a decent state I'd be all for it, but as of now? No thanks.
 
In my dreams, Nintendo licensed out their IP for a fifth gate. But the overseas attractions sound awesome and the most likely. It's just a matter of what the theme will be. I don't necessarily want a copy of Disney Sea. I want a reason to go there someday.

If Nintendo licenses out their IPs to any themed entertainment company, it should be Universal.

I mean

can you imagine
 

aparisi2274

Member
If Nintendo licenses out their IPs to any themed entertainment company, it should be Universal.

I mean

can you imagine

If Universal said, "Hey everyone, we've partnered with Nintendo, we are opening a Super Mario Kart ride, followed by a Starfox 4D 4K simulator, and then a Pikmin playground for kids" I think I would shit myself.

EDIT: and the focal point of that area would be Peach's Castle, with a forced perspective Bowser castle in the background.
 
If Universal said, "Hey everyone, we've partnered with Nintendo, we are opening a Super Mario Kart ride, followed by a Starfox 4D 4K simulator, and then a Pikmin playground for kids" I think I would shit myself.

EDIT: and the focal point of that area would be Peach's Castle, with a forced perspective Bowser castle in the background.

Fuck it, we'll go all out.

-Donkey Kong mine cart coaster
-F-Zero dueling launched coaster
-Sonic the Hedgehog launched coaster with on-board audio that blares Escape From the City
-Luigi's Mansion omnimover
-Mario Party 3D shooting game
-An epic Pokemon live battle stage show

hhnnnngggg
 
If Nintendo licenses out their IPs to any themed entertainment company, it should be Universal.

I mean

can you imagine

I would be fine with either. Universal would seem the likely one to initiate such a possibility, though, and it would be such a huge win for them. It would be a bigger deal to me than Harry Potter, at least.
 

SmithnCo

Member
If Universal said, "Hey everyone, we've partnered with Nintendo, we are opening a Super Mario Kart ride, followed by a Starfox 4D 4K simulator, and then a Pikmin playground for kids" I think I would shit myself.

EDIT: and the focal point of that area would be Peach's Castle, with a forced perspective Bowser castle in the background.

An F-Zero coaster would be the best thing ever, if only the general populace cared about F-Zero, lol
 
I would be fine with either. Universal would seem the likely one to initiate such a possibility, though, and it would be such a huge win for them. It would be a bigger deal to me than Harry Potter, at least.

Only issue is that Disney would take 10 years to build anything and it would likely come out mangled from all the value engineering.
 
Only issue is that Disney would take 10 years to build anything and it would likely come out mangled from all the value engineering.

I'd still be fine with either because Disney could build a whole park. I could see Universal making a whole land which would be substantial because they are on the top of their game, but they'd still have to cherry pick IPs.
 
I'd still be fine with either because Disney could build a whole park. I could see Universal making a whole land which would be substantial because they are on the top of their game, but they'd still have to cherry pick IPs.

I think that would happen regardless because Nintendo has few IPs with universal (lol) appeal. If it ever happened, I could see Mario as a lock and maybe Zelda or Pokemon along with it. Though Pokemon has a huge issue with maintaining a consistent, identifiable visual style.
 
I think that would happen regardless because Nintendo has few IPs with universal (lol) appeal. If it ever happened, I could see Mario as a lock and maybe Zelda or Pokemon along with it. Though Pokemon has a huge issue with maintaining a consistent, identifiable visual style.

Just like Smash, it would be a shame to only stick to the bigger franchises. Well, it's all hypothetical anyway. Pokémon just needs an omnimover ride that looks like the Little Mermaid. All you need is some badass Pokémon animatronics. All people really want to see is life-size Pokémon being Pokémon.
 
Fuck it, we'll go all out.

-Donkey Kong mine cart coaster
-F-Zero dueling launched coaster
-Sonic the Hedgehog launched coaster with on-board audio that blares Escape From the City
-Luigi's Mansion omnimover
-Mario Party 3D shooting game
-An epic Pokemon live battle stage show

hhnnnngggg

This is why i have my notebook. Think about it, you keep the coaster part relatively low (no big drops, make the launch the start of the race) and allow the interior to be the Mute City stadium, and the queue could take you by vendors, food, victory lane, the stands, as you make your way to the loading station, then the cars go through a quick garage area out to the start/finish line, then boom, they launch you out into a big "Staging Room" to rep the track, modeled after mute city, with a couple jumbotrons showing other parts of the track, a couple cars flying off the track as you head up on it. Then a photo at the finish, and then you yourself exit again at the garage area after being congratulated by an audio-animatronic Captain Falcon
 

overcast

Member
You should be able to change your payment type to monthly if you need to when it comes time to renew your pass. That's probably what I'll be doing.
Oh, well, I guess I'm technically getting a new pass. I let the other one expire about a month ago.
Pixar Land would be a decent choice. California Adventure is already 70% Pixar.
I don't know if DL/CA will have any significant expansions anytime soon. There just isn't enough space.
 

zeemumu

Member
I don't know if DL/CA will have any significant expansions anytime soon. There just isn't enough space.

Oh, no I didn't mean a Pixar Land for California Adventure. That was just an example. Pixar might make a good new Florida park. I wouldn't mind if they got rid of A Bug's Land or the Muppets 3D show, or maybe added something else back near the Mad T Party stages.
 

Nelo Ice

Banned
Went to Busch Gardens Tampa today and had a blast but damn there were some glaring issues. The park layout is a complete train wreck. Whoever designed it fails so hard since it was like walking through a damn maze. Also Busch Gardens seems to be cheap since so many coasters only had 1 train running even though it was slow. Also for attractions, waits that should have been walk ons were slower because the team members took forever to get everyone on and check restraints. Also didn't help they didn't have someone telling people where to stand or go.

Aside from that the rides themselves were so great though it's really only worth going for SheiKra, Montu, and Falcons Fury imo. Unless you want to see the animals or something but we came for the rides. SheiKra was a ton of fun and I was lucky enough to get front row on the edge so seeing that 90 degree jump first was an absolute delight. Montu has a beautiful track layout and is just a really fun ride. Both of the coasters were incredibly smooth rides compared to most of the coasters there. Falcons Fury was a ton of fun and the view from up top and facing straight down is something you have to see in person. Though I would have liked more of a free fall feeling since the drop was really controlled.
 
Went to Busch Gardens Tampa today and had a blast but damn there were some glaring issues. The park layout is a complete train wreck. Whoever designed it fails so hard since it was like walking through a damn maze. Also Busch Gardens seems to be cheap since so many coasters only had 1 train running even though it was slow. Also for attractions, waits that should have been walk ons were slower because the team members took forever to get everyone on and check restraints. Also didn't help they didn't have someone telling people where to stand or go.

Aside from that the rides themselves were so great though it's really only worth going for SheiKra, Montu, and Falcons Fury imo. Unless you want to see the animals or something but we came for the rides. SheiKra was a ton of fun and I was lucky enough to get front row on the edge so seeing that 90 degree jump first was an absolute delight. Montu has a beautiful track layout and is just a really fun ride. Both of the coasters were incredibly smooth rides compared to most of the coasters there. Falcons Fury was a ton of fun and the view from up top and facing straight down is something you have to see in person. Though I would have liked more of a free fall feeling since the drop was really controlled.

What did you think of Kumba and Cheetah Hunt?
 

Nelo Ice

Banned
What did you think of Kumba and Cheetah Hunt?

Kumba was fun but gave me a headache since it was so jerky. Cheetah Hunt was cool too though I was sad it wasn't faster, the multiple launches were nice though. They're definetely worth rides but I couldn't do Kumba more than once or twice and Cheetah Hunt is a solid ride but not a must ride.
 
Kumba was fun but gave me a headache since it was so jerky. Cheetah Hunt was cool too though I was sad it wasn't faster, the multiple launches were nice though. They're definetely worth rides but I couldn't do Kumba more than once or twice and Cheetah Hunt is a solid ride but not a must ride.

Sucks about Kumba. I've heard it has one of the best track layouts on any coaster anywhere. Would be cool if they could smooth it out or something.
 

Nelo Ice

Banned
Sucks about Kumba. I've heard it has one of the best track layouts on any coaster anywhere. Would be cool if they could smooth it out or something.

Yeah don't get me wrong the coaster is good but it's ruined by the fact that your head just rattles around the whole ride. Would probably be great if it weren't for that con. And again it does not help that they only had 1 train running.
 
Yeah don't get me wrong the coaster is good but it's ruined by the fact that your head just rattles around the whole ride. Would probably be great if it weren't for that con. And again it does not help that they only had 1 train running.

Looked up some info for fun. Kumba was built by the same company that did Hulk and Dragon Challenge, but opened six years before those two. Hulk is a little rattly as of late but nowhere near uncomfortable imo. Oh course, Dragons are butter-smooth. Wonder how those two will feel in six more years.
 

Goldrusher

Member
Disneyland Paris future up to 2022:

http://disneyandmore.blogspot.be/2014/10/all-about-disneyland-paris-future.html


Disneyland

Main Street
- rehab ongoing, almost complete
- new Starbucks shop coming

Discoveryland
- Space Mountain getting new trains, updated theme
- Hyperion theater rehab, Jedi Academy show
- Star Tours getting upgraded to Star Tours II 3D
- adjacent theater becomes a huge Star Wars store
- Pizza Planet restaurant likely to be removed
- Mos Eisley Cantina and a Millennium Falcon walkthrough possible

Frontierland
- Frozen show in Chaparral Theater
- major Big Thunder Mountain rehab
- geysers returning to Rivers of the Far West
- cleanup of the entire lake

Adventureland
- Pirates of the Caribbean getting Jack Sparrow
- Adventure Isle could be getting "Legend of the 7 Seas"
- Soarin' ride (similar to one being built in Shanghai)

Fantasyland
- Peter Pan getting a technological upgrade
- It's A Small World rehab
- new 2000 seat-theater


Walt Disney Studios

Front Lot
- getting a new 1940s retro look
no Red Car Trolley, but oldtimer cars
- new buildings everywhere, from Art of Animation to Cinemagique
- includes an old Hollywood theater (Cinémagique) and a filmmuseum (Art of Animation)

Backlot
- Armageddon becomes Marvel Experience
- Rock'n'RollerCoaster to be rethemed to something Marvel
- 2 brand new Marvel-rides as well
- one a (partially) outdoor roller coaster
- the second a family ride

Pixar Studios
- new paths / layout
- Animagique getting a new show
- Toy Story Mania

Avatarland
- if it's succesful in Orlando, could be built in Paris


resort

- 4 new themed hotels
- 1 hotel borders the Studios-park
- 1 hotel fills the gap between Newport Bay Club and Hotel New York
- massive rehab for Hotel New York, then Cheyenne
- big upgrade for the Disneyland Hotel, new restaurant
- huge congress center
- implementation of NextGen
 
Disneyland Paris future up to 2022:

http://disneyandmore.blogspot.be/2014/10/all-about-disneyland-paris-future.html


Disneyland

Main Street
- rehab ongoing, almost complete
- new Starbucks shop coming

Discoveryland
- Space Mountain getting new trains, updated theme
- Hyperion theater rehab, Jedi Academy show
- Star Tours getting upgraded to Star Tours II 3D
- adjacent theater becomes a huge Star Wars store
- Pizza Planet restaurant likely to be removed
- Mos Eisley Cantina and a Millennium Falcon walkthrough possible

Frontierland
- Frozen show in Chaparral Theater
- major Big Thunder Mountain rehab
- geysers returning to Rivers of the Far West
- cleanup of the entire lake

Adventureland
- Pirates of the Caribbean getting Jack Sparrow
- Adventure Isle could be getting "Legend of the 7 Seas"
- Soarin' ride (similar to one being built in Shanghai)

Fantasyland
- Peter Pan getting a technological upgrade
- It's A Small World rehab
- new 2000 seat-theater


Walt Disney Studios

Front Lot
- getting a new 1940s retro look
no Red Car Trolley, but oldtimer cars
- new buildings everywhere, from Art of Animation to Cinemagique
- includes an old Hollywood theater (Cinémagique) and a filmmuseum (Art of Animation)

Backlot
- Armageddon becomes Marvel Experience
- Rock'n'RollerCoaster to be rethemed to something Marvel
- 2 brand new Marvel-rides as well
- one a (partially) outdoor roller coaster
- the second a family ride

Pixar Studios
- new paths / layout
- Animagique getting a new show
- Toy Story Mania

Avatarland
- if it's succesful in Orlando, could be built in Paris


resort

- 4 new themed hotels
- 1 hotel borders the Studios-park
- 1 hotel fills the gap between Newport Bay Club and Hotel New York
- massive rehab for Hotel New York, then Cheyenne
- big upgrade for the Disneyland Hotel, new restaurant
- huge congress center
- implementation of NextGen
Really interesting, hope the changes of the space mountain cars are for sooner rather than later.

And lol at Walt Disney Studios totalrefurb. People liked to say DCA was worst disney theme park, but that because they didn't visit Walt Disney Studios. A refurb is going to do the park wonders. 1940's and Marvel land could be amazingly cool, the good thing is that they have so many rides they could change and nobody would care like armageddon or the "movie sets" tram ride. Hope they dont change much cinemagique and animagique apart of updating them, because those where two good shows.

Efteling's new coaster

"Baron 1898"

Beautiful! Amazing theming.
 

overcast

Member
So, what's considered the poorest Disneyland? Which one do you guys feel needs the most work?

I've only been to Disneyland Anaheim and they probably don't need to do much (unfortunately) because they have a stranglehold in California.
 

zeemumu

Member
So, what's considered the poorest Disneyland? Which one do you guys feel needs the most work?

I've only been to Disneyland Anaheim and they probably don't need to do much (unfortunately) because they have a stranglehold in California.

Hollywood Studios in Florida, probably. Disneyland Anaheim is the hardest to improve because of space and nostalgia.

But I was really underwhelmed by Hollywood Studios. There's not much there. I've only been to the USA parks wo I can't speak for the rest.
 

aparisi2274

Member
Hollywood Studios in Florida, probably. Disneyland Anaheim is the hardest to improve because of space and nostalgia.

But I was really underwhelmed by Hollywood Studios. There's not much there. I've only been to the USA parks wo I can't speak for the rest.

Hollywood Studios is a poor excuse for a Disney park, and its also the Disney park that needs the most work.

1. Aerosmith has got to go! The video is so old, that the guitar tech is an undiscovered Ken Marino. Re theme that ride to Tron or something, and it will bring guests back into the fold.

2. The Great American Movie Ride is a joke. Last time I went on it, most of the effects were no longer working. The gangster scene no longer has the car come screeching out from the shadows, and the door to the next area, that the CM usually shoots to change the light green was just open. That ride needs a complete gutting and rebuild!

3. They need to do something amazing with the recently closed Catastrophe Canyon area of the park. If they go with Cars land, it has to be HUGE! If they go with Star Wars it has to trump what Universal has done with their theming of Harry Potter....

4. I would love to see an Indiana Jones ride dropped into Hollywood studios, I dont even care if its the same one from DL or TDS... It would be a perfect fit in the studios.

I am sure I could keep going, but I am to tired and the more I think about Hollywood studios, the more annoyed I get.
 

Branduil

Member
Hollywood Studios in Florida, probably. Disneyland Anaheim is the hardest to improve because of space and nostalgia.

But I was really underwhelmed by Hollywood Studios. There's not much there. I've only been to the USA parks wo I can't speak for the rest.

I wouldn't consider Hollywood Studios a "Disneyland."
 
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