Those who have known me for any length of time know that I'm a Penguin freak. I've been known to go through the Penguin Encounter many times a day during our visits to the park, much to my families dismay. I have Penguin snow globes, stuffed animals, pillow cases, shot glasses, Penguin Web-Cams saved to my internet favorites. So it's safe to say I love Penguins. 

When I decided I wanted to go to Sea World San Diego for my 40th birthday (eek) my wife took it upon herself to help me to knock "meeting a penguin" off my bucket list. 

After checking in what followed was about an hour and twenty minutes of penguin lover bliss. Not only did I get to meet an awesome Macaroni Penguin (#156) but also the staff that cares for these amazing animals, and that was really the unexpected reward from the entire experience. 

We were first led through the Penguin Encounter by our guide Lori where she talked about Penguins and what we'd be experiencing during our tour. Not only was her knowledge of Penguins great, but she made the tour fun and exciting for everybody who was in attendance. 

Before heading inside we had to wash our feet and our hands "if" we wanted to actually touch a penguin. Lol, "if". 

Once inside they had to make it a bit darker as the Penguins are still coming out of their winter where we met Sonia, one of the amazing people who care for these amazing animals. 

To say that Sonia has my dream job would be a gross understatement. There's just something about Penguins that is simply fascinating, from their demeanor to the way they behave individually and as a group and of course as a breed. There's just so much to learn from these guys. 

Sonia and Lori also talked a bit on how the Penguin Experience and breeding programs began and how much they've learned about Penguins since. It's truly a fascinating story. 

After a few minutes Sonia stepped away and came back with a very special guest. 

And then I became absolutely giddy. The only thing that I didn't care for about the tour was having to wait my turn to pet #156. Turns out I was last in line, which was totally fine because it gave me some time to calm down and plot my escape with my new best friend. =)

Below, pics of my giddyness, I know I look silly, I don't care. I was excited and in heaven. 

Once we had our 1:1 time with 156 they took us into the actual Penguin Experience in two groups, I was in the second group so we had some time to talk more with Lori where she showed us some of the Penguin Feathers, Eggs, etc which was completely amazing. 

And then it was time to head into the actual Penguin Experience. It was amazing, it was cold, it was amazing, it was loud, did I mention amazing? 

Knowing that my family was on the other side of the glass watching the huge smile on my face was pretty cool, having them with me would have been the only thing to make the experience even better. 

I didn't really think you'd be able to see the people on the other side of the glass but guess what, the Penguins can see you, so remember that next time you are in there. =)

We were inside for about 10 minutes or so, given that it was about 25 degrees probably meant that any longer would have gotten uncomfortable. Most of the people in our group were getting rather cold, I was not and would have loved to stay a bit longer, did I say a bit, I mean all day. =)

Once back outside we were able to ask a few more questions and then were led out to see the Magellanic Penguins which are actually able to live in warm weather, so once again the plotting was taking place and I wouldn't even have to greatly modify our house to do it. =)

At the end I was sad for it to end, but excited to see that my wife and kids were so excited that I'd had the experience. It was absolutely amazing and I would totally do it again. I'd love to do a "trainer for a day" experience where I could spend all day at the Penguin Experience sometime and feed them and all the stuff that the trainers do, you know, for the site and stuff. Yeah, that's it. 

Maybe when I grow up I'll actually figure out how to make my dream job happen. =)

Thank you to the AMAZING staff at Sea World, The Penguin Experience and the amazing Lori and Sonia for taking such good care of us and more importantly, taking care of my little friends. You are all amazing. 

And of course, thank you to my amazing wife and my two amazing kids for letting their husband/father go and be silly with Penguins for an hour. 

If you'd like more info on Penguins or pretty much ANY other animal visit SeaWorld.Org. 

If you'd like more info on the Penguin Up-Close Experience in San Diego, Orlando or San Antonio click the individual links. Not sure I know how to recommend the tour more than I already have. You won't be disappointed. 

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As I mentioned above, our last visit to Sea World was in 2008, so obviously a LOT has changed. Not only physically at the park but with the "perception" of what Sea World is. It's fair to say that it's been a rough few years for the park chain, so much so that I actually found myself getting very emotional during the Dolphin Days and One Ocean (which we'll touch on later this week). 

Fair or not, Sea World has been blasted and that's translated to a drop in revenue, some changes at the top and more, but what hasn't changed is the feeling you get when you see these amazing animals perform and the love that is so evident between the animals and their trainers. How anybody could think the trainers don't absolutely love these animals is beyond me. 

We never got a chance to see Blue Horizons which from what I understand was a more "serious" show than the show in 2008 or Dolphin Days. And while all shows at Sea World do have a "conservation" segment, they all also like to have fun and that's just with this show is. 

The pre-show, well, it's the same pre-show as has always been there. You know the "soak zone" song by now. The only significant change since 2008 is the change from "Oh My Hair" to "Oh My Phone" which is more a sign of the times than anything I can think of. 

For the most part this show seems to be similar to the last show we saw 7 years ago, without the "parent falling in the water" gag which is fine. Because really, if you aren't entertained by these animals then I don't know what to tell you. Because they are truly amazing. 

The show did seem a bit shorter than past shows clocking in at about 15-20 minutes which was fine as the sun was quite warm even though the air temperature was only about 75 at the first show of the day.

As you can see, despite reports of low crowds plaguing the chain the shows here still packed them in during the late summer.  

At the end of the day the animals are the star of the show, and that's the way it should be. 

Be sure you head down to the park to check out Dolphin Days, it's a lot of fun and shouldn't be missed. You can read all about the new show here. 

Be sure to check back tomorrow as I'll be posting my update and review of the Penguins Up-Close Tour which was truly one of the most amazing things I've ever done. And oddly, there aren't a whole lot of reviews of this experience online. 

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Now this isn't a new trend; but it really began at the advent of the internet - and countless sites dedicated to parks, coasters & other fun activities. It was this forum base that gave us the start of some large-scale liars, and people who can't tell the truth to save their lives. Their ability to post anonymously and to be able to claim crap began to erupt out into the boards flooding every page with rumors. 

I can say this: If I had a penny for each unsubstantiated rumor, I'd be a billionaire. 

The scary part of this is how many people buy into this endless rumor mill of crap; they flood every single page with incessant fanboy-fed & fueled bullshit. I've seen so many of these false threads that it isn't even funny: Of each rumor, the ratio is successfully 1-1000. For every ONE rumor that ends up occurring, 1000 are pure bullshit. You can dry them out, put them on the veggie garden, and get prize winning tomatoes. I have heard (as we all have) some real whoppers too. 

Fanboy Bullshit #1: Anything Cedar Point. You know who I'm talking about too - the CP Fanboys who KNOW EVERYTHING IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE. The ones who spend every moment of their lives fantasizing about how they want CP to be, and that they KNOW it is about to happen, and that it will be the BIGGEST THING EVAR! Every year in June these kids begin spewing forth every possible rumor under the sun - and some are real whoppers. While CP knows what they're doing: These kids do not. And yet, they want you to believe they know EVERYTHING that is going on. Everything. "CP is building a 500 ft. tall drop tower!" "CP is building the world's _______ B&M coaster!" "CP is taking over all of Sandusky to build a BIGGER CP!" Yes, folks, one of the largest producers of garden fertilizer is the CP fanboy. 

Fanboy Bullshit #2: IntaFanboys. These sub-species of the CP fanboys are nearly as rabid, but have even LOWER IQs. And they are RABID, a condition which even the CP fanboys don't have. They will fertilize you into oblivion about the NEXT big Intamin project - and they're confirmed, of course, that will be XXX feet tall, and go XXXX miles per hour, and it will be built at __________ park next year! And they know it too - and are first in line to feed you their crap, that Intamin is the greatest company in the history of EVAR!!! If you ever need steer manure, find it here. It's good quality as well. 

Fanboy Bullshit #3: Our wooden coaster,________ is getting an RMC CONVERSION! Over the past few years, this Fanboy movement is just that: An oversized fanboy bowel movement. And the worst part of it is that they are so ABSOLUTELY sure that it is coming, that they'll go so far as to create photoshopped pictures of RMC employees in front of the coaster they want converted. And they will LIE IN SPADES that they swear it is happening. The worst of these offenders can be found around some of the best wooden coasters in the world: Kings Dominion. Their rumor-mongering about Grizzly (A fine, well-run & well loved wooden twister) is becoming so bad that KD's flowers have never looked lovelier! 

Now I can fully understand a love & respect for a home park, ride or attraction: I'm devout to the Germans...but even for me my #1 is an Arrow. I find that these people who automatically eschew other parks/rides because of how they feel about their OWN park/ride is a bit ludicrous. They will not acknowledge anything OTHER than those parks/rides, and are willing to lie to make sure they feel their park is BEST FOREVER! "XXX park isn't as good as MY park is, because we're getting _____ next year." You get the idea. 

Now I can hear a few of you saying "But aren't YOU a German Fanboy?" To which I say this: I'm a huge fan of German rides (Particularly the ones coming from Munsterhausen, Bavaria, DE) but I will NOT publically speculate on what is coming and where. That's irresponsible - and doesn't represent who I am, or what I believe. I would go BEZERK to see every park in the USA get a Gerstlauer Infinity coaster, a MACK Blue Fire system, or a Zierer ESC coaster - but let's be realistic: The parks know what they want, and they'll build exactly what they feel is right. I have no say in this, but to hope for a new German. 

So how do we fix the excessive fertilizer piles created by Fanboy Bullshit? Simply put: We stop acknowledging their crap. Ignore their pleas for attention. Walk away from their incessant spewing of rumors. And start to enjoy parks as they are, and not for what a select minority of bullshit producers feel they should be. 

R.D. 
8/20/15

Be sure to let us know your thoughts about RD's article, agree, disagree, want to yell at us ... go right ahead. But before you do, be sure you get tickets to our Six Flags Magic Mountain Fright Fest event on October 2. (shameless plug)

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Voting Starts Today

TAMPA, Fla. (Aug. 20, 2015) – Howl-O-Scream® 2015 has Unearthed a new evil along with the most demented scares in town, and now fans get to vote on their favorite former icon.

Howl-O-Scream Facebook fans can choose which evil former icon will be featured at a photo opportunity in the park, includingDeath Jockey from Howl-O-Scream 2007, the Raven Twins from Howl-O-Scream 2008, or the Trickster from Howl-O-Scream 2012:

·         The Raven Twins of Howl-O-Scream 2008 reeled in victims with their seductive looks and devilish charm. Those who dared to date these beauties fell into a trap of a tortuous night of unimaginable pain.

·         Creating a new sound to horror, the Death Jockey of Howl-O-Scream 2007 used burning lights and ear-splitting music, masking the screams of his listeners trying to escape his tormenting tempos.

·         At Howl-O-Scream 2012, the Trickster lured you into the Dark Side of the Gardens, where Busch Gardens’ 300 overgrown acres of fright made escape nearly impossible.
Voting started today, Aug. 20 on the Howl-O-Scream Facebook page and ends Thursday, Sept. 3. The results will be announced the following day.

A bone-chilling, sinister force descends on Busch Gardens® Tampa for 19 select nights this fall during Tampa’s premier Halloween event, Howl-O-Scream® 2015. This year, Busch Gardens joins forces with award-winning horror filmmaker extraordinaire, Robin Cowie, producer of the Blair Witch Project, to unearth an unimaginable evil.

DATES:

Freaky Preview returns this year and will open Howl-O-Scream 2015 on Friday, Sept. 25 and Saturday, Sept. 26.  The event then runs Thursday through Saturday nights, Oct. 1 – 31, and select Sunday nights, Oct. 18 and 25. Operating event hours are 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Get your tickets early and save on a single terrifying night at Howl-O-Scream 2015. This year, 4-Pack Ticket Deals start at $35 per person, plus tax. Reduced advance-purchase rates are available online, and special offers are available for Busch Gardens Pass Members. 

MORE INFO:

Stay tuned to HowlOScream.com for the latest terrifying details or call 1-888-800-5447 for guest information. Howl-O-Scream2015 is a separate-ticketed night event. No costumes are allowed.

Join the conversation by using #EvilUnearthed and follow Howl-O-Scream on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube to learn about promotions and insider information first.

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We'll start off as always with Wizarding World of Harry Potter

The facade for Hogwarts Express is now at the entrance of Hogsmeade. This is NOT the actual Hogwarts express, this is just the locomotive decoration. The Hogwarts Express will come at a later time ... supposedly. =)

Hogwarts ... it looks to be almost done as the scaffolding continues to be less and less. 

No word on if Hippogriff is testing yet

A close up ... 

The greenhouse portion of the queue seems to be one of the last parts that needs to be completed. 

Not sure what's going on over here, I guess we'll see soon. 

Moving onto Halloween Horror Nights ... Tickets are now on sale, check out all the details here.

Below, the facade for Halloween is coming along nicely. Soon this will be the Myers house. 

Down on the lower lot, Insidious is also coming along and it's facade looks to be close to being done. 

The Walking Dead looks pretty large and will be in the former location of Stage 28

A birds eye view from the Starway

HHN walls down in the new york sets ready to be installed somewhere

Assuming Alien vs Predator will be in the same location as last year, Stage 747

Crimson Peak is also down on the New York sets

Moving onto the Terror Tram which will be themed to The Purge (with no auctioneer we're guessing)

Walls ready to go up

This Is The End maze is also coming along, no real set elements are visible yet. 

At the front of the park the new retail/dining location is coming along. Hopefully the tables/vending carts on the opposite side of this will be moved once this opens as it creates a terrible bottleneck in the park. 

And lastly, the new parking structure is getting close to completion and should be topped off soon. 

That's going to wrap it up for this update. Be sure to keep checking back as we'll have our planning guide for Halloween Horror Nights up soon. It looks like there are some changes this year so we'll have to modify our guide from last year quite a bit. 

Thanks for reading, hope you all enjoyed the update. 

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Universal City, CA, August 18, 2015—Tickets are now on sale for “Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios Hollywood as Southern California’s premier Halloween event unveils a slate of new mazes, an exciting hip-hop dance show, a new cutthroat Terror Tram experience and terrifying Scare Zones, beginning Friday, September 18, 2015.

Tickets to this year’s event are available for purchase at www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com/hollywood, including a “Killer Deal Nights” ticket option with discounts of up to $25 on select dates as well as a Front of Line ticket option which enables guests to enjoy priority access to each “Halloween Horror Nights” maze, “Terror Tram,” Jabbawockeez show and theme park attractions.  Advance purchase is recommended as event nights will sell out. 

“Halloween Horror Nights” dates are: September 18, 19, 25, 26, 27, October 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31, and November 1, 2015.

“Halloween Horror Nights” brings together the sickest minds in horror to immerse guests in a living, breathing, three-dimensional world of terror inspired by TV and film’s most compelling horror properties.  This year’s line-up includes:

All-New Mazes and Show:

As a complement to the nighttime event, Universal’s most popular rides and attractions will also be open to guests.

To learn more about “Halloween Horror Nights,” click here.

For more information about “Halloween Horror Nights” at Universal Studios Hollywood visit www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com. Join the “Halloween Horror Nights” conversation using #UniversalHHN on Facebook at Halloween Horror Nights – Hollywood and Instagram; Twitter and Periscope @HorrorNights.  Add username HorrorNights on Snapchat for nightly live content, and watch the terror come to life on Halloween Horror Nights YouTube.

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