Disney-°o°-Rama

Cedar Fair’s Expansion Plans for 2009

David Wallace — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:45:49 +0000

Cedar Fair, the company that owns and operates some of the greatest amusement parks in the world including Knotts Berry Farm and the roller coaster capital of the world, Cedar Point, has announced $62 million in new attractions, roller coasters and family rides to debut in 2009.

The highlight of the 2009 capital program will be Diamondback, a $22 million roller coaster built by Bolliger & Mabillard that will rise above the landscape at Kings Island in Cincinnati.

Diamondback will be a true steel serpent, snaking through the midways, slithering between existing attractions and navigating the unique hills and ravines that surround the park. Riders will board open-air trains that feature unobstructed views of the coaster’s track (this is the first time trains of this nature will be used in the U.S.). After cresting the 230-foot-tall lift hill, the trains will dive to the ground and encounter hills, banked turns and generous amounts of “airtime,” adding to the scales of Diamondback’s massive layout. Diamondback will be one of the largest single investments in Kings Island’s 36-year history.

“Diamondback is one of the most exciting and exhilarating additions to Kings Island since its opening in 1972,” said Dick Kinzel, chairman, president and chief executive officer. “This is a unique opportunity to balance Kings Island’s award-winning family attractions with a new level of roller coaster thrill that our guests and dedicated Ride Warriors will enjoy.”

In addition to Diamondback, two additional thrill-inducing animals will stake their claim within the Cedar Fair family of parks in 2009.

Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri will debut of Prowler, a Great Coasters International wooden coaster that will carve a tangled path in the park’s wooded terrain. The two-and-a-half minute high speed chase begins with the ride’s only feature above the trees’ cover, a swooping 85 foot plummet into a ravine. After the spiral plunge, the train rips through a seemingly endless amount of high speed hills and sharply banked turns that hug the wooded land below. With a top speed of 51 mph, riders grasped in the clutches of Prowler carve a path with powerful but smooth changes of direction, speed, and elevation.

Additionally, Carolina Cobra is set to strike at Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina. This is a Vekoma steel boomerang-style coaster that is being relocated from Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom and is formerly known as “Head Spin.” It takes riders to the top of a 125-foot-tall lift hill and then releases them, sending the snake-like train through a coil of track with three inversions at speeds of 47 mph. Riders will then travel through the entire course again – in reverse which is why it is referred to as a “boomerang.”

Along with the addition of the new roller coasters at Kings Island, Worlds of Fun and Carowinds, a new wave of fun will lap the shores of the newly-named Soak City Water Park at Valleyfair in Shakopee, Minnesota. Breakers Bay, a 350,000-gallon wave pool will feature the waves and action of the ocean in a safe environment. Guests will have access to private cabanas, a new bathhouse and new food and merchandise options.

At Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, two new family rides will debut in the Grove section of the park next summer. The Americana Ferris wheel and the El Dorado rotating car ride are sure to help families create new memories.

Finally, several parks will debut a variety of exciting live shows, including a brand-new ice-skating show at Dorney Park, and the expansion of the “All Wheels Extreme” stunt show, featuring BMX-style bikers, skateboarders, gymnasts and in-line skaters, to several properties.

About Cedar Fair:

Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: “FUN”) is a publicly traded partnership headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio. The Company, which owns and operates eleven amusement parks, six outdoor water parks, one indoor water park and five hotels, is one of the largest regional amusement park operators in the world. Its parks are located in Ohio, California, North Carolina, Virginia / District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan, and Toronto, Ontario. Cedar Fair also operates the Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in Gilroy, California under a management contract. Cedar Fair’s flagship park, Cedar Point, has been voted the “Best Amusement Park in the World” for eleven consecutive years in a prestigious annual poll conducted by Amusement Today newspaper.

Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion Track Layout

David Wallace — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:00:12 +0000

I was able to visit The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland in Anaheim three times last Thursday and Friday, enjoying the Nightmare before Christmas holiday overlay that Disney Imagineers install every year from October to just after the New year. Every time I visit what has become one of my favorite Disneyland attractions, I secretly wish I could just walk through the mansion after the park closes, so I can take my time looking at every detail.

One of the next best things to walking through the Mansion is being able to visualize the ride layout. That is why I was thrilled to find a site that not only has a computer drawing of The Haunted Mansion track layout but layouts for a variety of Disney attractions at several of its theme parks around the world.

One must first understand that The hHaunted Mansion rides does not actually take place in the “mansion” building you enter. It is actually located in a ride building located just outside the berm adjacent to the Disneyland Railroad track.

When guests enter the mansion, they then proceed to one of two stretching rooms which are actually elevators that go down to the basement level of the mansion. Once the doors open, guests proceed down a long hallway which actually goes under the railroad track to the ride building itself.

Here is an aerial view of the actual “mansion” you enter with the “ride” building behind it.

Now for the track layout which I feel is a pretty good representation of what is contained in the ride building itself.

Oh and if you are ever tempted to ditch your Doom Buggy to venture around you will most likely find the entire track of carriages come to a standstill as you trigger the various intrusion alerts. The attraction’s sophisticated intrusion alarm system monitors all exit doors and pressure sensitive mats throughout the ride. So don’t do it, unless you want to be exited out of the park.

Disney and Verizon Strike Deal To ‘Enhance’ Theme Park Visits

David Wallace — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:43:04 +0000

Walt Disney Company has struck a deal with Verizon Wireless that will allow it to remain in contact via mobile phones with visitors (guests) to its theme parks - even when they step outside the turnstiles in both Anaheim and Orlando.

It is being pitched as a way to enhance the “theme park experience,” enabling parkgoers to use their mobile phones for tasks such as saving a spot in line at a popular ride and zeroing in on where Cinderella can be found signing autographs.

The service does raise some concerns over privacy and the potential of both Disney and Verizon to bombard users with advertisements. However, because users will actually have to download an application to their mobile phones in order to utilize the service, where really is the concern? It is not like guests to Disney’s theme parks are being tracked and communicated with despite their wishes.

“What we’re doing is putting tools in the hands of our customers to better personalize their experience,” said Scott Trowbridge, vice president of creative research and development for Walt Disney Imagineering.

Users of the service will be able to to make trip plans, including booking hotel rooms and creating a checklist of attractions and shows to see. Once they arrive, they’ll be able to use their phones to check wait times at attractions such as Space Mountain or find the nearest eatery.

Additionally, using the technology in a mobile phone that pinpoints the device’s location, Disney would be able to recommend activities or restaurants to users. For example, Disney could help guests avoid long waits at certain attractions by alerting them to shorter lines at the other attractions, or exploit the phone’s location awareness to suggest burgers at the Tomorrowland Terrace to visitors who’ve just exited the nearby Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters ride.

“If I’m standing here, Mickey is there, how do I make my way to Mickey?” said Ryan Hughes, vice president of business development and strategic partnerships at Verizon. “If we’re dying for food, where’s the closest restaurant? How do we find our way there?”

Some are concerned over the fact that the service would extend beyond the theme park experience. However, Disney and Verizon executives say they have no intention of bombarding park guests with marketing pitches for fear of intruding on privacy or detracting from the experience.

“This is not us shooting out random messages; it’s about the guest experience,” said Disney parks spokesman John Nicoletti.

Personally, I like it and only have one complaint - how come it is limited to Verizon users. And that is natural seeing that I am on the AT&T network.

I would imagine that if this service is successful that Disney would look to extend it to other providers or even specific phone vendors such as Blackberry, iPhone and others.

For more information visit the Los Angeles Times.

Walk In Walt’s Footsteps With ‘Imagineering Field Guide’

David Wallace — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 22:31:45 +0000

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to walk in the footsteps of Walt Disney himself during and after Disneyland was built? Now you can with a new pocket sized guide entitled “Imagineering Field Guide to Disneyland” which aims to answer the question, “What would it be like to walk through Disneyland with Walt by your side?”

The 128-page paperback takes readers land by land through the Anaheim theme park, offering anecdotes, history and trivia from Disney Imagineers as well as early concept art, sketches and schematics of many rides and attractions.

“From a process standpoint, it offers a bit of a peek behind the curtain of how we turn concepts into reality,” said Alex Wright, an Imagineer who gathered tales from his co-workers for the book. “In a way, there’s no one person who can tell you all these different stories. We have so many different disciplines.”

To research the book, Wright delved into the extensive Disney archives and toured the park with long-time Imagineers Tony Baxter and Kim Irvine. The hard part, Wright said, was deciding what to leave out.

“When it’s Disneyland, there’s always more to tell,” Wright said. “You could have told another 1,000 stories with all the history that’s gone on there.”

Designed to be read in the park, the “field guide” attempts to strike a difficult balance between appealing to first-time Disneyland visitors as well as life-long fans.

Brady MacDonald of Los Angeles Times who reviewed the book for an article offers some of his own personal favorite finds.

Early Concepts Never Realized:

Walt envisioned live exotic animals roaming the banks of the Jungle Cruise.

A runaway mine-car theme for Indiana Jones Adventure incorporating the Jungle Cruise boats and the Disneyland Railroad.

A walk-through Pirates of the Caribbean wax museum — the water and boats weren’t added until after construction started.

A Casey Jr. Circus Train roller-coaster thrill ride — retooled within weeks of opening day into a gentle kiddie ride.

Trivia Tidbits:

The New Orleans Square train station depot taps out Morse code of Walt Disney’s opening day dedication speech.

The Latin motto on Mr. Toad’s coat of arms reads: “Speeding with Toad is always absurd.”

Walt liked to take pre-opening morning drives in a Carnation milk truck along Main Street U.S.A.

Steven Spielberg recorded the rumbles and clanking of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for the mine-car chase scene in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.”

The Truly Odd:

Uprooted orange trees were planted upside down during the construction phase of the Jungle Cruise to represent missing foliage.

Walt gave his wife, Lilly, a petrified tree for their wedding anniversary. (She donated it to the theme park, where it still resides in Frontierland.)

Visitors in the Star Tours queue may hear an intercom page for Egroeg Sacul (George Lucas backwards).

You can get the book on Amazon for $9.95. I’m hoping it is available at the park itself as I’ll be there next Thursday and Friday. And as this Disney fan is always hungry to learn the in-and-outs of the park, I’m looking forward to getting my hands on this little gem one way or another.

BOLT - Walt Disney’s Latest Animated Film Opening Soon

David Wallace — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:56:26 +0000

Excitement is beginning to build for the premiere of Walt Disney’s latest animated film BOLT - an animated comedy adventure that features a super-dog named BOLT (voice of John Travolta), whose days are filled with danger and intrigue—at least until the cameras stop rolling. The film is scheduled to premiere in theaters everywhere on Friday, November 21.

BOLT, who is the star of of a hit TV show finds himself accidentally shipped from his Hollywood soundstage to New York City. Here he begins his biggest adventure yet—a cross-country journey through the real world to get back to his owner and co-star, Penny (voice of Miley Cyrus).

Armed only with the delusions that all his amazing feats and powers are real, and the help of two unlikely traveling companions—a jaded, abandoned housecat named Mittens (voice of Susie Essman) and a TV-obsessed hamster named Rhino (voice of Mark Walton)—Bolt discovers he doesn’t need superpowers to be a hero.

The hilarious new trailer, “Reality Check,” shows Bolt’s reluctance to accept that he might not have the same superpowers as the “superdog” he portrays on TV.

Click on one of the links below to see the trailer.

Quicktime:

Windows Media:

Also be sure to mark your calendars for when BOLT opens up in theaters.

Disney Prepares For New Addition To ‘Hall of Presidents’

David Wallace — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:43:06 +0000

Will it be Barack Obama or John McCain? Not only as the next President of the United States but the newest addition to Disney’s Hall of Presidents attraction located in Liberty Square at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Disney Imagineers are preparing for the new arrival as only one of the presidential candidates will get to address visitors each day in the theme park once the animatronic attraction undergoes a renovation.

In fact, Disney will close the 37-year-old Hall of Presidents for an extended refurbishment. The attraction will remain closed for more than eight months so Imagineers can update the hall’s aging light, sound, mechanical, projection and show systems, just as they have done in recent years with other “classic” Magic Kingdom attractions such as It’s A Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion.

“We’re about to get a new president. And so, since we have to shut down the show anyway to welcome No. 44, we’re going to take the opportunity to . . . refurbish the attractions and the facility and also kind of wave the magic wand around a little bit,” said Pam Fisher, senior show writer for Walt Disney Imagineering.

The show has always featured a speech by Abraham Lincoln. In the 1990s, Disney began adding a second speech by the current president. Bill Clinton and George W. Bush recorded their addresses, and Disney hopes to entice the next president to do the same.

“We’ll do everything in our power to make it so,” Fisher said. “We’ve been really lucky so far. It is quite an experience to arrive in the White House and actually be present when the president records his speech for the Hall of Presidents.”

Furthermore, when the show reopens next July 4, a third figure, George Washington, will also be given a speaking part.

The only question that remains is who will fill that 44th spot? We should know after the polls close today, which remind me to remind you to get out and vote.

Disney TH!NK Fast Interactive Trivia Game

David Wallace — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:41:18 +0000

Disney Interactive Studios is releasing a new interactive trivia game for Wii and PlayStaion 2 called TH!NK Fast featuring a TV game show format in which contestants use quick wits and agility to answer both general knowledge and Disney-themed questions. The game is filled with beloved Disney characters and hosted by the wisecracking but always charming Genie from Disney’s “Aladdin.”

“The perfect party game for the entire family, Disney TH!NK Fast is guaranteed to give your brain cells a high-intensity entertainment workout this holiday season,” said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios. “Whether you’re 6, 16 or 60, you’re never too old for a friendly showdown.”

Playing as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and other Disney characters, contestants compete in a variety of trivia rounds ranging from multiple-choice questions to exciting mini-games set in themed locations based on Disney classics such as “Lilo & Stitch,” “The Little Mermaid,” “The Lion King” and “101 Dalmatians.” Each of the locations features special guest hosts, such as Stitch from “Lilo and Stitch.”

Disney TH!NK Fast challenges one to four players with more than 5,000 questions on topics ranging from Disney trivia to general knowledge. A unique visual answer system puts players right in the game.

TH!NK Fast will be available for Wii ($49.99)and PlayStation 2 ($39.99) in November. Visit the official game site for more information as well as link to pre-order.

Win a ‘Presidential’ Vacation at Walt Disney World

David Wallace — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:57:03 +0000

As the United States prepares for this historic election, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin resort is making its own presidential history by giving one lucky guest and their family the opportunity to be treated like a president with their very own presidential vacation. In honor of the eventful 2008 presidential election, the resort will be electing a candidate to stay in one of their eight spacious and luxuriously appointed presidential suites on a vacation fit for a leader of the free world.

This is the first time the resort has offered a presidential suite prize, as the suites range in prices up to $3,100 a night. Coincidentally, the hotel’s presidential suites have hosted the likes of Presidents H.W. Bush and Clinton, presidential hopefuls like Senator John Kerry and other prominent world leaders.

Here’s what the winner can look forward to:

Invite up to five people to enjoy the 3-day/2-night stay in the luxurious Presidential suite at the Swan & Dolphin Resort

Get whisked away from the airport in a stretch limousine and receive a red carpet welcome on arrival at the resort

Redeem a $250 dining certificate at any of the resort’s 17 restaurants and lounges including Todd English’s Bluezoo, Shula’s Steak House and Il Mulino New York Trattoria

Explore the Walt Disney World theme park using three-day Park Hopper pass.

While I believe you are responsible for your own travel to Orlando, this is a tremendous vacation package valued at $4,900.

To nominate yourself or someone else, visit www.swandolphin.com/election and sign up. Just be sure to do so prior to the end of the November 4th election. I’m on my way there now!

Tinker Bell Gets Her Own Meet-and-Greet Area at Disneyland

David Wallace — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:18:36 +0000

Move over princess Ariel and make room for Tinker Bell. A new “meet-and-greet” area called Pixie Hollow has taken the place of Ariel’s Grotto which is located near the Matterhorn Bobsleds. Here you’ll be able to meet Tinker Bell in person which of course will offer excellent photo opportunities. The soft opening occurs today with the official opening will occur sometime next week.

Visitors walking past an “enchanted” pond will feel as though they are shrinking to the size of a fairy through a series of visual and audio cues. Bronze statues of the five Disney fairies — Fawn, Iradessa, Rosetta, Silvermist and, of course, Tinker Bell line the pathway. Along the way, whispers and echoes emanate from the fantasy fairy world. Tinker Bell, played by a 5-foot-tall face character, poses for photos in front of her home, an upside-down tea pot.

It would be expected that Tinker Bell would be a hot commodity right now with the release of the Tinker Bell movie on DVD. In the movie, Tinker Bell believes her fairy talent as a “tinker” isn’t as special or important as the other fairies’ talents. However when she tries to change who she is, nothing but disaster ensues. With encouragement from her friends Rosetta, Silvermist, Fawn and Iridessa, Tink learns the key to solving her problems lies in her unique tinker abilities and discovers that when shes true to herself, magical things can happen.

And what will become of Ariel? Is she out of a home? Not quite. Shedding her tailfin and donning a dress, the Little Mermaid can be found in the Princess Fantasy Faire at the Fantasyland Theater.

Photo courtesy of MousePlanet.

Halloween Time at Disneyland

David Wallace — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:01:42 +0000

Each year it seems that Disneyland takes on more of a Halloween image starting in the latter part of September and running through the beginning of November. It really began in 2001 with the introduction of the Haunted Mansion Holiday where the mansion gets a Tim Burton’s “Nightmare Before Christmas” overlay complete with Jack Skellington and crew. Then in 2006 they went full out, decorating several areas of the park in Halloween decor and hosting events such as the Happiest Haunt Tour and Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat Party.

It is no different this year and Lorren Au, a staff photographer at the Orange County (CA) Register recently captured some of this Disney Halloween magic on film. I have inserted a few select photos below for your enjoyment.

Ghastly-green pumpkins located outside the Haunted Mansion.

Crews work around a giant Mickey pumpkin located on Main Street.

Haunted Mansion Holiday is inspired by “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

Skeletons celebrate “Dia de los Muertos” (Spanish for Day of the Dead) at Disneyland.

60 unique Jack’o'lanterns were to be added to “The Halloween Tree” in Frontierland.

A display at Woody’s Halloween Roundup at Disneyland’s Big Thunder Ranch.

If you enjoyed these then you’ll enjoy plenty more photos as well as an article to coincide with them at Orange County (CA) Register. The best thing to do however is to visit the park during this time of the year. Halloween and Christmas are wonderful times to see the parks transformed into holiday splendor.