The Interpreter

Oh, really? I guess that means that all the new Nick rides will be indoors and no cameras will be allowed. Perhaps that is why Six Flags Worlds of Adventure was so paranoid about people taking pictures of Superman: Ultimate Escape, and even tried to stop people from taking pictures of the ride from across the street on public right of way! Strange that Cedar Fair doesn't seem to mind people taking land based pictures of Steel Venom. No, I don't think it has to do with copyright issues on Scooby and the Haunted Castle. It has to do with not flashing and ruining other riders' experiences. I mean, after all, they are so grand compared to the old Phantom Theater that the park must take every reasonable measure to ensure that all the cardboard cutouts are properly displayed and every rider gets a fair shot.

On the contrary. This is a conference call to investors. It was yesterday. Under the rules of the SEC, if the sale were NOT still ON, he could not have said what he did. So, this IS news. The news is that there is no news. And no, before that, it was NOT obvious. Conference calls often reveal unexpected news, as execs say things in response to questions that were not expected. So, to sum up, the news is that as of yesterday morning, the sale of the parks is still on. That could still change, but it hasn't so far.

among other things, said during a conference call to investors:

Wanna know where that coaster went? You should have just followed its tracks! The Interpreter, running for his room...

You do know that the Kings Island Resort is not owned by, connected with or controlled by Paramount or the CBS Corporation, right? And from my last stay in the place, I might well prefer to be in a tent. And I ain't no camper!

I didn't say he was.

If Beast and Racer are kept in pristine condition, that would be a CHANGE from how Paramount has maintained them. You want to see wood coasters kept in pristine condition, you are going to have to visit Knoebels, Holiday World or Kennywood. Certainly not Paramount Parks. Witness anything from the Hurlers (shameful) to Grizzly at PKD to Rebel Yell at that same park to even Beast or Racer (the latter of which desperately needs a paint job, retracking and train overhauls).

You were told what to say if the press asked. How nice. Whatever happened to the concept of either not commenting if asked or telling the truth? How quaint.

Some of us would not say that is a "right" seat. It is reported that on media day, a Paramount exec's son, about 12, was absolutely drenched on that ride. He was about 12, and they carried him out wrapped in a blanket, shivering with his teeth chattering. It was about 35 degrees that day. And the water has never so thoroughly soaked anyone since!

Marketing Express, you told them to be good, little associates. My question was what if they are good, big associates... Oh, never mind...

WooferBearATL, remember it was Gaylord that closed Opryland to turn it into an outlet mall . . . I'd be very careful what I wished for.

And for those who may not know, SBNO does not stand for South Bound--New Orleans, but rather for Standing But Not Operating...

. . . and yet, there is still the fact the park is telling people it won't operate this year. Something IS up, that's for sure. A retheme, a removal, a relocation, a sale...something is up...

I was thinking the same thing about Scooby and The Haunted Castle...the announcement trumped up (without saying so) Disney levels of theming and wonderfulness. The final product, in my opinion, was something else entirely . . .

Wait a minute. The old flume was PUBLICLY announced as leaving. Many travelled long distances to get last rides on it. Only after an outcry from the public was the ride saved and rethemed. I am virtually certain this was not a publicity stunt. The ride actually was going to be removed. Paramount listened (as Six Flags Great America also did with Willard's Whizzer) and the ride was saved. . . So, yes, the flume was not on the map. And it was, at the time, destined to be removed, not just rethemed. That being said, it would also not make sense for Flight of Fear to be on Paramount's Kings Dominion's 2006 map if it isn't going to operate. That'd just cause all kinds of unnecessary questions and complaints from guests. . .

ESPECIALLY not bathrooms. Not in these days of ADA compliance. . .

To my knowledge, the ONLY thing PKD has confirmed is that the ride will not be operating this year. Nothing has been said of its future, if any. People have speculated it's being rethemed, it's being moved, it's being sold . . .But the park has confirmed only that it is not operating this year.

If there is always an interested buyer, someone forgot to tell a Mr. Burke that at Six Flags. Ah, the price. That's the rub. Mr. Sumner Redstone controls Vicaom and CBS Corporation through his controlling interest in National Amusements. He will either get his price, or he will be keeping the parks. . . Sumner's like that. . .

I have in fact been to Florida several times when the only theme park I visited was BGT. Kumba alone is enough to draw me there, not to mention the other wonderful things in that park. If you haven't been since before Montu was installed, you've got a lot to look forward to! I hope you get to go soon. The only real complaint I have about BGT is that it is often very crowded now, since Florida residents can in effect go the entire year for the cost of a single visit. I usually go through the week in winter (NOT during spring break) and avoid the summer and weekends. The only problem with that approach is that the park typically closes at 6 during those times.

I think what do with Son of Beast is a real quandary for the park. More than perhaps anything else, this may be affected by who the new owner, if there is one, is. And I am not brilliant enough, nor stupid enough, to predict what will happen with Son of Beast. There are many more factors in this decision than the average park visitor will ever know. . .

Yes, they do take incredible care of their rides (though those who have ridden Gwazi at BGT may not think so). I was more talking about the parks' general appearance, the way they keep up their theming, the way they only put in attractions when they have the money to do things right...including building an exterior facade that looks as if it was meant to endure for the ages....

Reminds me of when Drachen Fire sat unused for years at BGW. Not on the map, not mentioned on the train ride even as you rode past it, and if you asked an employee where it was, they looked at you (as instructed, I suspect), and said "Excuse me, what did you ask?" When you repeated yourself, you were told, "I am sorry, we have no ride called Drachen Fire." It was a headshaker. We know how that ended. . .

Carowinds has been doing this on Top Gun for quite some time. I think they are concerned that the rider exhibit signs of being able to cope with life after two rides. And I suspect the someone with lots of time was an insurance company, perhaps after paying a claim. The rule is not all that unusual. At Morey's Piers, for example, if the Great White is empty and you are the only person riding, you still must get out after EVERY ride, walk out the exit and up the entrance (a not short journey) in order to reride. Just one of many reasons that though I love the rides and atmosphere there, I despise that park.

It should be: Mission Impossible: Son of Beast. My Sob for short...

And it looks like it was designed to last forever. I still remember seeing the front of Tomb Raider: The Ride at PKI. I immediately wondered how long it would last, it just looked....temporary. Busch builds stuff as if it they expect to own the parks forever. They also keep their theming "as new" for years and years and years. I have never seen anything look shabby in any Busch park. Even at Geauga Lake, you can now see the deterioration on the old Sea World side, from years of neglect by Six Flags and now, sad to say, by Cedar Fair. Sad.