As you can see, work on the lift is almost complete, they should be starting on the drop any day now. 

The track looks really good with the supports underneath. 

Raising some supports into place

Cutting some stuff

This view won't change for awhile

Wonder when that booth is going to be gone, it may already be gone. =)

The sign is still there

Scream will likely be closing on Jan 4th after Holiday in the Park, so get some rides in now ... or wait. Either way. =)

Matt and his wife also took in the first night of Holiday in the Park, and took some great pictures. 

Dragon got dandruff

Lots of snow

Winter Wonderland is certainly one of the most cool places for Holiday in the Park pictures

The trees create a great canopy of lights

Lots of great lights up near Rapids Crossing

Apparently riding Revolution and Tatsu doing Holiday in the Park is a must

The Carousel looks great all lit up, wouldn't be a bad thing to keep these trees lit up all year

The entry area

It's a Full Throttle Christmas

We'll be doing some filming of all 3 DC Universe shows this weekend

The lights look great

That's going to wrap it up for this update, we'll be back at the park this weekend for another update and do get some Holiday in the Park video to share next week. 

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As we arrived, we had to get a couple of extra tickets and our "Social Media Adviser" and I made our way to the press check in. 

There was a "Green Carpet" event, which mostly consisted of Zoo donors, which is a great treat for them. There were a couple of celebs who showed up as well. 

A nice trio playing Christmas tunes for the arriving guests. 

A nice gift bag was given out featuring a beautiful LA Zoo lights ornament. We'll share what it looks like on our tree when we put it up on Wednesday. 

Amanda showing off our gift bag

Lots of tasty food provided by Whole Foods

Some nice tables set up for the invited guests

Former NFL Player Bret Lockett

Pauley Perrette from NCIS

Singer Carly Robyn Green

After the Green Carpet festivities, we made our way to the front of the zoo where LA Mayor Eric Garcetti and Concilmember Tom Labonge would flip the switch to turn on the lights. 

The Marshall High School Glee Club treated us to a few songs

LA Mayor Eric Garcetti welcomes the crowd and the return of the Zoo Lights. He was much more behaved here than at the LA Kings Championship rally in June. Just giving you a hard time Mayor, we loved that too!!! 

Mayor Garcetti, Council Member Tom LaBonge, John Lewis (Director LA Zoo), Connie Morgan (President of the Greater LA Zoo Association), Kait Hillard (VP marketing for GLAZA), John McGuire (Bionic League Lighting Design), Gregg Lacy (Art Director) and some kids from the audience flip the switch. 

Monkeys power the whole thing

Animals depicted on the bottom of the tree

Powered by Monkeys, too bad everything isn't that easy

This is pretty much the spot where the old lights ended, as you'll see below, they go FAR beyond this. 

Lots of animals depicted here

Kitty

I want to do this in my yard

Rawr

Lets head over and check out the Reindeer

Some of them must have been out on errands for Santa

Rainforest lights

I wish I had the patience to do something this cool

One of my favorite spots in the zoo looks great all lit up

From the other side

Flaming-O's!!!! 

Watch out Flaming-O, there's a Croco-gator there!! 

Cool christmas trees

It's a disco Christmas!! 

Do you see the monkey? 

Santa's spot, this would be a great photo spot for a Christmas card. 

This was one of the coolest things they had. It was pretty much a light show depicted on some statues of elephants. Think the show that's on Small World at Disneyland. 

I wanted to get video of it, but I had literally bought a new camera 6 hours before we were here. Next time!! 

The one drawback of this show is that it's not in a very big space as the elephant statues are a permanent thing in the zoo. So it didn't leave much room for watching as it was in the middle of a major walk way. 

It would be cool if a similar show could be done next year in a bigger space, as it was REALLY cool. 

Idea for recycled water bottles!! 

Cool animal laser show

I literally stood here for 5 minutes trying to get a picture of this with nobody in it. This was the best I could do. 

♪ I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas ♪

Oh, we are taking the tunnel!!! =)

This was probably my favorite part

A Zebra driving around a Rhinoceros in a car ... something you don't see every day. 

Monkeys and Alligators and Flaming-O's, oh my. 

Oh, the Zebra is going to run them over because they are on his red carpet. =)

Y-M-C-A

The Hollywood Bowl. 

We totally forgot we were actually at the zoo for awhile, but this reminder is there so the Animals can get their rest

Overall, the entire event is really well done. At a gate price of only $13 it's truly a great night of family fun. 

The entire event will probably take you 60-90 minutes, a bit longer if you want to see Santa (as the line was HUGE) but this event is HIGHLY recommended. 

For more info on the LA Zoo Lights click the link and be sure to check out online deals as tickets can be found for around $8 if you buy them early. 

Be sure to get tickets ASAP, as the event did sell out every night last weekend. 

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"How come he gets to ride before me?"
"Why does he get to cut the line?"

You have NO idea how many times I've heard this in my 30 years of riding attractions at theme parks. Though I've only been using ADA access/handicapped access for the past 8 years, I've heard others complain incessently about it. 

KNOCK IT OFF!

Of the multitude of parks I've visited since losing the full use of my legs (For those who don't know me, I've got Multiple Sclerosis - MS) I've seen the good, the bad & the ugly of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in both parks - and their guests. And you know what? It's a double-edged sword. 

Let's take a look at the parks themselves. Some parks are quite good about the ADA access points, going so far to modify existing rides to allow for easier pathways & entry, having a clear & defined plan for how handicapped guests are handled, and are user-friendly for those of us with mobility, visual & hearing impairments. Six Flags Over Georgia does an excellent job in this respect - on the vast majority of their attractions in the park. Some are not accesible due to their age (Log Jamboree for example) but in all they have done a great job at allowing as many people as possible to ride. 

Disney is also pretty good about this - but has failed in one respect overall: While their rides are ADA compliant, their policies towards ADA access have varied, wobbled & failed miserably. Here's the thing: Due to certain groups of patrons abusing the system, the handicapped are, well, handicapped for most of the park's attractions overall. Herein lies the biggest problem. 

California's ADA plan is different than the Federal guidelines, and far less restrictive on the use. On one visit to Disneyland a few years back, the 'standby' wait for Space Mountain 77 was 30 minutes... while the ADA line was nearly TWO HOURS LONG. Why? Let's see: Six people, no visual handicapped, all between the ages of 13-21. Four people, one has a cast on their arm. Five people, aged 19-25 or so, no visual handicapped issues. Two people, one in a wheelchair. Six people, no visual handicaps. Why? Due to the ADA's compliance laws in California, ANYBODY could qualify to get ADA access to a ride. ANYBODY. "My mother has bad P.M.S. and I'm traumatized by it, so I've got P.T.S.D, and therefore I'm handicapped." "I've got a bad hangnail, so I'm handicapped." "My sister is marrying some guy from Singapore, and I'm depressed - I'm handicapped." 

To be fair, I've seen this practice at MANY of the California parks - and to a lesser extent in other states as well. People LOVE to abuse the system. "I don't want to wait for a line, and I don't want to pay for a Q-Bot/Lo-Q system. I'll play handicapped, and I don't have to wait anymore!" I see this more often than not in many cases. 

Now people say "Why do you use it? You can still sort of walk." In all reality, I -rarely- use ADA access. RARELY. I get the paperwork/card/ID for it at every park I visit - but on my last Disney trip (Two days at Disneyland) I only used it seven times over two days. Why? 

Realistically, I try not to abuse the system. I do have a hard time walking up/down stairs, and almost every park now has attractions of note where stairs are prevalent and difficult to negotiate - or very slowly. Yes, then I'll use ADA access & the elevator/ramps as needed. But if an attraction has ramps both to/from an attraction, I use the line like the rest of the general public. I'll stand in queue with the rest of you - up to a point (I can't stand for more than about 20 minutes at a time without pain - if the line is longer than 20 minutes, I'll use the ADA - and get a come-back time. And I'll sit waiting until then, when I'll head back to the platform to ride. If I'm with a group of friends, I'll send them into the general line, and I'll wait until they get to the platform to ride, then ride with them. 

In other words: I wait just as long as you did to ride. 30 minutes, 45 minutes - an hour. I don't get cuts in line. I don't beat the wait. I have to do it differently than you do. 

So what about those with certain mental/emotional impairments? This is a grey area - and knowing quite a few mentally/emotionally handicapped people in my life, I take a look at it this way: Having Autism, Comparative Cognitive Disorder, or other such impairments is perfectly acceptible to me under the ADA. Having a bad case of ADD/ADHD, depression because your hair turned out bad, or other such issues is not. 

I don't beat the system - I work with it so I don't end up having to try & negotiate stairs (Which, if you've ever been with me and seen it can be a slow experience - usually backing the line up behind me) or to stand in a line causing great pain & discomfort. Otherwise, I'll see you in line - and standing next to me. 

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Below is a scan of the Holiday In The Park map with all of the special foods, hours and locations for everything. You can click either picture to make it bigger. 

The event kicked off in DC Universe "Rockin' Universe" where Scott and Marc told us a bit about the set up for Holiday in the Park and you could tell just how excited they were. 
Marc grew up in operations at the park, and it's so great to see a long-time employee work his way up at the park he loves. He's a good dude. 

And with a flip of a switch (possibly) we have lights. A lot of lights!! 

The show is really 360 degrees so you are going to want to walk around and take everything in. Or watch the shows multiple times from different angles. 

Lots of twinkling lights in the dark (yes, I know I need a new camera) =)

A look down towards Superman, this will be filled with people in a few days, which it should be. 

Below is a video we took of the DC Universe light show. This is only 1 of 3 shows, so you've gotta promise to stay and watch all 3. Something tells me you are going to want to. 

Below is the "Tree of Heroes" which will honor local American Heroes. 

Moving on to "Snowy Nights" in Full Throttle Plaza. I had no idea these trees would light up like this and change color. 

They were rehearsing for the show and what we saw was really fun and fitting of the Full Throttle area. 

Now most parks have a Christmas Tree as their main entry icon for the Holidays, and Magic Mountain is no different. But it wouldn't be Magic Mountain if they didn't take it "Extreme". =)

This is a Christmas Tree made out of water, that will have lights to make it look like a tree, that will move around and change colors. They didn't show us this, but I'm really excited to see it. 

Lots of lights in the trees at the park entry

This is going to be a nice shot with the tree

The Holiday Cheer Carolers were also rehearsing, and sounded really good. More of a contemporary a cappella style, but it was fun. 

Last, but most certainly not least is Winter Wonderland, which is more of the "Traditional" holiday area. We were all just blown away. 

Even walking through this area during the day doesn't do it justice. The show lighting is fantastic. 

Snow Owl

This is the type of product placement we are totally for. Cute and makes me want a Coke. 

TOYS!!!!! 

Lots of Reindeer and snow. Actually, all of the snow, we found out ... made out of paper. Imagine that. 

Santa's Workshop, home to the Krumpus ... I mean Santa. 

After leaving Santa's Workshop the kids will get to go with Mrs. Claus and do arts and crafts at the nearby tables. 

It's snowing!! 

I really love the Snow Leopard. 

That's going to wrap it up for our preview of Holiday In The Park. 

The event begins this Friday (November 28) and runs through January 4. Each night the event begins at 5pm and runs until park close. 

Be sure to find the time to head out and see it, it's going to be really great. 

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Before we head out for the tour, lets take a look at what the ride looks like from the parking lot. Most of the area where the first turn-around and high-five element is going to be has been prepped. 

The lift hill is almost done and should be topped off very soon, and then they will start on the first drops for each side. 

More of the turnaround ... are ya getting excited yet? 

Inside the park, it was confirmed that this area will be fully redone with new concrete and a "Screampunk District" sign. So it will look like the picture we posted below a few weeks ago, just without the train and with fancier concrete. Should be nice. 

The food location will be a gourmet sandwich shop called "Twisted Wich's" (not sure of the spelling). Something the park is lacking and will be a nice change. 

Now the part you've all been waiting for, the Twisted Colossus tour. 

Moving in towards the station

If you are entering the queue, the left side will be the regular queue, the right side (shown below) will be for ADA and Flash Pass. 

Obviously this is going to look much different in a few months

I didn't catch what this is going to be, I'm guessing queue. 

What lurks under the bowels of Colossus? 

LOTS of station work is coming in the future

The park confirmed there will be 4 trains total. Colors will be Orange, Blue, Green and Purple. There will be 3 storage tracks and 1 transfer track. And they will be covered. 

What's that I see out of the corner of my eye? Back for more in a minute. 

Getting in the back row for a ride!!! 

The new control room will be below the station

Pictures do not do this justice

Coaster Porn shot #1

Drooooool ... 

I mean come on!!! 

This little stretch of track probably has more pops of airtime than all other rides in the park combined. Amazing. 

We tried to get them to put the train on and just push us down this stretch of track, but alas, it is not at the park. I knew we should have stolen it from IAAPA. 

Lets take a look at the lift hills shall we ... 

The crew confirmed that the tracks will be built in unison throughout the entire project

36 years of grease ... 

Lots of footers that no longer need to be used

The track is BEEFY

Seriously, who do I have to bribe to get a RMC tool chest for my garage? 

The end of the ride 

Coaster Porn shots #2, #3 and #4

Once the track reaches the bottom of the first drop, that is the end of "phase 1" of the project. Phase 2 will include the first turn around, the high-5 element and the twists. Phase 3 will be the rest of the ride. 

Anybody want some Colossus wood? 

Artsy shot ... 

The transfer track ... yes it's upside down. 

Moving back towards the front of the ride ... THIS ... can't wait. I request back seat please. 

We need something fast and "Whoosh'y" to clear off the tracks. Soon ... very soon. 

The park also confirmed that Scream will be getting a makeover including a new color scheme. What it's going to include or what the colors will be we aren't sure, but this is a VERY welcome change. 

That's going to wrap it up for this update. Thanks again to the park and Rocky Mountain Construction for allowing us to get a great look at the ride. Hopefully there will be more of these before the ride opens (Hint Hint) as I know we all love them. 

Stay tuned later as we'll have another update for our preview of Holiday in the Park ... which you definitely should be making plans to visit. 

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"What they're doing is simply amazing work. So incredibly intense, so thrilling."
"I know they're going to be a success well into the future with rides like this."
"Look at their innovation - things like this are amazing to see."

Read any of those before? I sure have. Repeatedly. Only these are things from 20 years ago - and not recently. Who are they talking about? Bolliger & Mabillard. 

In the 1990s, B&M was the brand to beat. Intamin tried to, but never was able to capture the level of success that B&M did. Arrow tried to - and ended up failing under the weight of pushing an envelope too hard - and with too many mistakes. But B&M could do no wrong, with a string of mega-success that is to date unprecedented in the modern era. 

And then 'poof'. The praise of the theme park world vanished when their rides began to become mundane, bland. mild, and in general boring. Good rides - but lacking the oomph that their early successes had in them. 

Let's move forward.

It's 2014. And all we hear about is RMC. 
"RMC is the best things since wonder bread!"
"New Texas Giant is the greatest ride on earth!"
"Their level of innovation is the greatest thing ever!" 
"Nobody can touch RMC!"

Wait a second. Hold the presses. This just in: We've seen this before, folks. We've read these same statements. We've seen the hype & hysteria every time a new coaster gets announced. 20 years ago - with B&M. 

Now I'm hearing the grumbling now. "How can you say that? RMC is the second coming!" People are hysterical every time a new RMC is announced. I mean NUTTY over their announcements - and the rampant rumors over their next projects... "I bet Georgia Cyclone is next!" "Mean Streak is going to get it!" "The next coaster for Six Flags St. Louis is going to be an RMC, and it will be the greatest coaster ever built!"

Let's face facts, people. Judging a company on FIVE standing coasters with three announced under construction does NOT a balanced opinion make. Look at how people were gaga over B&M's projects for a decade... and the reaction nowadays when one of their new coasters is announced. "Oh. It's a Bland & Mild coaster. Yay." "Oooh. Another nap coaster. Great." 

Now before the torches are lit and people grab their pitchforks, I will say that what RMC has done THUS FAR is some truly amazing things. Revitalizing two coasters that were either too painful to ride or mutated beyond what they once were was a bold & innovative step forward into areas where very few had dared to tread before. Being able to bring a dead coaster back to life is a good thing - something we should all be proud of. 

That being said, praise for the now is welcome. But let's also not forget that they have only built FIVE coasters as of now, two that are under construction, and one that is being developed. People are going nuts over the future which hasn't even been built yet - much like people went nuts over the future with B&M. I for one am not buying the hype. I can't - I've seen this movie before; I've seen the plot, and I've seen how it turned out. And it is the same movie thus far: Builder innovates with their prototype; people go nuts for it, they build a second, even more nuts, they do something innovative, world is awed & becomes hysterical. And then 20 years on, it's just another thing. 

Innovation is a tough thing in the amusement industry. With Arrow, it was developing the mine train, tubular steel track rail & corkscrew. With Intamin, the launch coaster & hyper/giga advancements. B&M brought us capacity & the Inverted coaster. It is going beyond this level of innovation that is the ceiling that these firms have yet to do. All of them evolved their technologies and grew their firms, and all of them have eventually hit the ceiling. 

RMC brought us steel hybrid rides & a new generation track structure. I expect them to continue this evolution & innovation into the future. But hold the hype, please. When RMC has a portfolio of 30-40 coasters, each one exceeding the previous one for innovation & inspiration, then they will be deserving of mass hysteria.