• Published on

    Disney Shareholders Meeting Wrap-Up

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    Were you too busy today to catch the Walt Disney Company 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders? Not to worry, below is a compilation of everything that was discussed. Not in as much detail, but enough to give you an idea of everything that was discussed. 

    Frozen, Frozen, Frozen, Frozen, Frozen ... and some other movie stuff. But mostly Frozen. 

    It's no question that Frozen is a major hit. HUGE, Gargantuan, about to become the #1 grossing animated movie of all time. So of course there was lots of talk by Bob Iger about Frozen. 
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    But the biggest news was that there is FINALLY going to be a sequel to The Incredibles as well as another sequel to Cars. 

    While the Cars sequel shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody, that movie is a merchandising juggernaut, the long sought after Incredibles Sequel should be met with excitement by everybody. How it took this long is anybody's guess. 
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    There was also some talk about Star Wars Episode VII which will reportedly take place approximately 30 years after Star Wars Episode VI (Return of the Jedi). 
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    Lastly, they released a third trailer for Maleficent which continues to look great. 

    Pirates of the Caribbean Battle for Sunken Treasure

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    One of the only Parks announcements was a new Pirates of the Caribbean ride for Shanghai Disneyland. This is the first of the Pirates rides that is going to be based on the film franchise vs the versions that have had characters from the movies added to existing attractions. 
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    During the Q&A there was an odd question segment by one person, but one nugget that did come out of that is that there will be "some" Mulan presence in the Shanghai park. 

    Not much more news than that at this time.
     
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    D23 in Anaheim August 14-16, 2015

    Not really a whole lot to add to the above title, D23 is coming back in 2015. I'm sure more details will be surfacing in the next year. 
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    Q&A

    There were, as always, questions from those in attendance. These are mostly Disney fans asking questions, so they certainly ran the gamut. A list of some of the questions asked: 

    • Pin Traders not having room inside Disneyland to trade pins: Iger mentioned not wanting the Pin Traders to interfere with normal park guests. 
    • Lily Belle Exclusivity:  Iger incorrectly stated that anybody could go to City Hall and get a pass to ride even though the Lily Belle is now reserved for Club 33 Members and other VIP's. How long until an AP shows up at City Hall and tells them "Iger said I could ride"? 
    • Disney Cruise Line: No new ships, but there will be new itineraries. 
    • Disneyland Submarine: For the last time ... THE RIDE ISN'T LEAVING!!! (My words, but that was the gist of Iger's answer)
    • Somebody announced themselves as a "PREMIER Passholder" so we'd really listen to his question. I forgot what it was about. 
    • GAC Passes: No plans to revisit current system that is actually working
    • A question about Characters in the park and hand drawn animation: Iger once again plugs Frozen and says there are no plans to make any further 2D Animated Feature Films. 
    • Question asking about holding Stockholder Meeting at Walt Disney Family Museum: No plans right now. 
    • Disney Dollars: No plans to discontinue Disney Dollars.  
    • Lastly, one of the questions started off with the person telling Bob Iger that he was his "favorite character" and wondered if he'd melt in Acetone. It was kind of creepy and I wonder if Iger even got the reference. 
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  • Published on

    Dusting off the snow and getting ready for Spring at Six Flags Great Adventure

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    Move Over, Winter…Here Comes the Bloom

     
    Six Flags Great Adventure’s Landscaping Department Prepares for Spectacular Spring and Summer Displays

    * All pictures courtesy of Six Flags Great Adventure
    JACKSON, NJ  – Despite the gloomy, grey skies and frigid temperatures, spring has already sprung in the greenhouses at Six Flags Great Adventure. The landscaping department is hard at work preparing for a vibrant display to celebrate the park’s April 12 opening and have already planted the seeds for a spectacular summer.

    Cool spring temperatures are a challenge for delicate flowers, so the landscaping department will plant 14,000 colorful and winter-resistant pansies throughout the park for its spring opening. Despite this massive undertaking, the team of 22 workers plus manager Bill Hettman already have their sights set on summer.

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    For the park’s summer display, the landscape team will plant 33,000 flowers including begonia, salvia, dusty miller, coleus, vinca, pentas and 3,000 multi-colored New Guinea impatiens. They will hang 550 massive begonia, petunia and geranium baskets (250 of which are created and grown in-house), and place 40 giant, ornamental pots they have arranged using elephant ears, canna lilies and hibiscus throughout the park. Floral wreaths meticulously created by hand will adorn buildings along Main Street and the fences in Fantasy Forest. The landscaping department will complete their designs with 14 signature topiaries they have grown, ranging from notable cartoon characters to oversized animals, like elephants, swans, rhinos and flamingoes. Much of this work is underway or already completed in the park’s three greenhouses.
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    At Hurricane Harbor, the landscaping department will bring the park’s tropical theme to life with the addition of 70 palm trees, 300 tropical flora, plus an array of ti plants and Chinese fan palms. Everything will be planted by the water park’s opening day, May 24.

    “All winter, we have been hard at work plowing snow and spreading sand and salt to manage the ice. We have miles and miles of roadway and sidewalks that our employees use to get to their workplaces and our animals even when the parks are closed,” Hettman said. “But that is behind us now, and we are focused on delivering our most incredible summer display in history.”

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    During the peak season, the landscape team swells to 40 members who manage everything from spring cleanup to overnight watering, aquatic maintenance of the park’s water fountains and pools, and beautifying the park’s iconic attractions, such as Safari Off Road Adventure, which opened last year, and Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom, debuting this spring.

    “We have exciting plans for Safari Off Road Adventure’s loading station this year, and we will be one of the finishing touches to the new Zumanjaro area before it opens to the public later this spring,” Hettman said. 

    Working in the landscaping department is physically strenuous work, but rewarding, he noted. “The experience on our team ranges from newcomers to 40 years,” said Hettman, who has 33 years of Six Flags landscape experience under his belt. “We have a very high rehire rate and loyalty among our team. They are a great group of people who love what they do, and it shows.”

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    “Every year, Bill and his team create spectacular landscaping displays that have become attractions in themselves,” said Park President John Fitzgerald. “The landscaping team works very hard to enhance the natural beauty of our parks.”

    Six Flags Great Adventure and Safari opens for the 2014 season April 12. For more information, visit www.sixflags.com/greatadventure.

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    Six Flags Landscaping By-the-Numbers

    • 14,000 spring pansies
    • 33,000 summer flowers
    • 3,000 New Guinea impatiens
    • 550 oversized flower baskets
    • 40 giant ornamental pots
    • 14 topiaries
    • 12 wreaths
    • 70 palm trees
    • 300 tropical flora
    • 40 landscaping team members

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  • Published on

    Batman Backwards opens and general park update from Six Flags Magic Mountain

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    Over the past two weekends Six Flags Magic Mountain held a special preview for Batman Backwards (or namtaB as people like to call it). Part dress rehearsal, part giving time for the 2nd train to be flipped backwards, all indications are that the ride is going to be a hit. 

    We'll also have some updates on Bugs Bunny World construction,  a look at everything else going on around the park and a quick look at the 2014 park maps. 

    namtaB sdrawkcaB 

    Before we get to the specifics and our review of Batman Backwards, be sure to check out the POV below that has been provided by the park. 
    I thought about doing this portion of the update in backwards type, but it was annoying to type it out so I figured it would be even more annoying to read.  =)

    Signs were out in DC Universe letting park guests know that Batman Backwards was only open to Passholders. That didn't stop people from giving the park employees at the front of the ride a hard time when they couldn't get on. It's hard to imagine why anybody who goes to Six Flags parks wouldn't have a Season Pass, two visits and it's paid for. But the front line employees aren't the ones that make the decisions. Giving them a hard time isn't going to do anything except make you look like a jerk. 

    Another sign is placed just in front of the actual ride. 
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    Before we get to the ride itself, a couple of queue notes. The fountain in the queue has received some TLC. Not sure why this particular fountain always seems to give the park trouble, I'm guessing the people waiting in line aren't too kind to it. 
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    The old photo booth is still here but the park has now put some trees up to give the exit a bit of greenery. 
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    A look at the backwards train getting ready to leave the station. 
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    If you've ridden any of the Batman clones you know what to expect when you ride. I've ridden all of them except 1 or 2 and I've ridden this particular version at least a couple hundred times over the years. Even though I knew what was coming, the sensation of going through the familiar elements backwards was disorienting. 

    That said, I found the ride to be significantly less intense as far as Negative G-Forces are concerned. I was worried about the backwards elements making me dizzy and I can say without a doubt that riding XLR-8 backwards at Six Flags Astroworld was 10 times worse than this. I was also 10 years younger when I rode that. ;)
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    During backwards operation the ride has one less row, so 7 instead of 8. The picture below shows the new "Zero Car" ... or would that be the "Eight Car". I'm so confused. =)
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    Batman Backwards officially opens on April 22nd. I recommend getting to the ride early if you plan on riding especially considering there is one less row per vehicle for backwards operation. The second train looked like it was almost done and the ride should be running 2 trains when it officially opens on Saturday. 

    Bugs Bunny World and Speedy Gonzales Construction

    The past few weeks the park has been concentrating more on the aesthetics of the Bugs Bunny World overhaul which is great to see. Not a whole lot going on at the site of the new coaster however. 

    Wascal's has received a great new paint scheme that really shines. If this is what Bugs Bunny World is going to look like when they are all done then parents and their children should have a great looking area to spend some time in. 
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    The re-paint extends all the way to the back to the showers and the jail located behind Wascal's. 
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    They have a bit more to do in the Livery Stable but I'm guessing they'll finish the rest when the walls come down for Speedy Gonzales. 
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    I was a bit surprised to see Tweety's wasn't open yet. I'm guessing it will be in time for daily operation which starts on the 22nd. 
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    The Carrot Top Theater has begun it's freshening up and once again, if this is what we can expect for the rest of Bugs Bunny World it's going to look great!! 
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    You can see the before in the background and the new brightness in the foreground. 
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    According to the 2014 Map (that we'll get into a bit below) the new show here will be called "Warner Bros. Kids Club" and will run select days from Memorial Day to Labor Day. 
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    The Merrie Melodies Carousel doesn't look too different from our last update. 
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    Looks like the Tea Cups are ready to be set back on Pepe LePew's any day now. 
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    Still a whole lot of dirt at the site of Speedy Gonzales. 
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    The new asphalt around the entrance area has received a nice "High Sierra" looking coat of paint. 
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    Full Throttle Sports Bar and Grill

    Work continues on the new Sports Bar that is certainly getting a "Full Throttle" makeover. 
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    Looks like they are saving some space for signage, etc. 
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    The new Sports Bar is on track to open sometime in April. 

    Around The Park

    Lots of little things going on around the rest of the park as it's still the "off-season". 

    Some rides had a delayed opening on Saturday morning due to a small earthquake in nearby Castaic. We noticed most of the rides didn't open with the park but safety always comes first. 

    Having a Gold Pass still allowed us to be on the second Full Throttle train at about 10:40am. 
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    The throng of "regular" guests waiting to get into the park as we were in line for Full Throttle. 
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    It was Physics Day in the park which made it quite a bit busier than a normal Saturday in mid-March. 
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    Tidal Wave is back open from it's refurbishment. 
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    Jet Stream is still closed. 
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    The Scrambler is back open after it's complete refurbishment. It looks and runs great. Lots of padding. 
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    The ride op working the ride on Saturday morning was absolutely great. Encouraging riders to have a great time that should be had on a classic flat ride like the Scrambler. It's so awesome to see ride op's who take pride and have fun. One thing that could help this ride though is maybe some music. The ride itself is so quiet now.
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    Colossus was closed. Not sure if it's for Backwards preparation or due to the earthquake. The employee stationed at the front of the ride did say the ride could open on Sunday (March 16). Can anybody confirm if the ride was open? 
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    The Fountain and the Falls at the front of the park are back open. I can't remember the last time I saw the fountain go so high. Looks great. 
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    Looks like some new landscaping has been done in the area. Wouldn't be surprised to see the park switch to more "succulent" plants as we are in EXTREME drought conditions here in Southern California. 
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    The M&M's store is gone, but don't worry, the store is being converted to a Jelly Belly store!!! 
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    Hopefully they'll have "Belly Flops". 
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    The new scanners are installed at the turnstiles, they aren't using them yet however. Probably waiting until they are all ready to go. In the meantime they are using hand scanners. 
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    No change on the Bonzai Pipelines at Hurricane Harbor. Although I did hear them hard at work on the other side of the fence. 
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    2014 Maps

    And lastly, a look at the new 2014 park maps. I know the park gets a lot of flack for not having new maps available on January 1st, but honestly it's not that big of a deal. None of the 2014 attractions are open yet, it's only 1 of 2 parks in the entire chain that are even open in January and February and when you compare the 2013 and 2014 maps there is VERY little difference. 
    * All map pictures property of Six Flags
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    The inside cover, it's never too early to start thinking about Fright Fest. Can't wait to see what the park has in-store for 2014. 
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    The "Friends and Family" section is back this year and it looks like Full Throttle Nights is coming back starting on Memorial Weekend. July 4th Fest is also making a return in 2014. 
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    Looking at the 2013 Map I don't see anything too different for 2014 on the left side of the map except for the absense of the General Sam Tree.  
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    The right side features Speedy Gonzales Hot Rod racers and the new location for Tweety's Escape. 
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    That's going to wrap it up for this week. Be sure to check out Batman Backwards which opens this weekend along with Colossus Backwards. 
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  • Published on

    Schlitterbahn New Braunfels Spring Break

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    Schlitterbahn New Braunfels Spring Break will include the entire Blastenhoff section.

    It’s time for some family FUN at the first EVER Schlitterbahn New Braunfels Spring Break – March 8th through the 16th at the Blastenhoff section of Schlitterbahn New Braunfels. 
    * All photos courtesy of Schlitterbahn Waterpark
    Conquer Blastenhoff tower with the ups and downs of the Master Blaster, shared thrills of Wolfpack and the twisting darkness of the Black Knight. Or just soak up the sun on Blastenhoff beach while the family explores Hans Hideout. Rides our guests can enjoy include:
    Master Blaster Uphill Water Coaster: Six stories tall! Over 1000 feet in length! This high thrill ride does not disappoint.
    Black Knight: Slide down these twin, totally enclosed water slides.
    Blastenhoff Beach: Soak up the sun with a good book or play in the waves on this relaxing beach. Also the entrance to the Torrent Wave River.

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    Torrent Wave River: The Tidal Wave River is a continuous wave river experience. A fan favorite at Schlitterbahn!
    Han’s Hideout: Five Story Water Fun House for older children to play and slide and have fun getting splashed.
    Kinderhaven: Water play are for toddlers and children, featuring an activity pirate ship. Water will be heated for Spring Break.
    Skycoaster: Freefall Swing Ride (there is an extra charge to ride the Skycoaster.)
    Bamboozle Bay: Heated Pool and Swim-bar featuring a zero entry beach.
    Wolfpack Family Raft Ride: A howling, family downhill raft ride through twists and turns in a giant, circular raft.

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    If you enjoyed this update please share with your friends and make sure you "like" us on Facebook and "follow" us on Twitter

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  • Published on

    Despicable Me ready for debut - Harry Potter goes vertical at Universal Studios Hollywood

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    We have a pretty substantial update from Universal Studios Hollywood this week. The walls have come down around the outside of the new Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem revealing some amazing details. Super Silly Fun Land continues to grow as we start seeing just how big the area is going to be. 
    Wizarding World of Harry Potter has seen some magic steel rising out of the sky as they continue to work furiously on the new area. And as if that weren't enough, the all new games in front of The Simpsons Ride are now open (as of Saturday March 8th). 

    Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem

    Walls have come down in front of the attraction that looks to be on-track to open on April 10th. 
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    Even though the attraction will have two sides all guests will enter through Gru's house and exit just outside. 
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    Looking down Gru's street you can see the amount of detail that just the facade has received. 
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    All of the requisite height indicators, wait time clocks and signs have been placed. 
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    As we look to the right of the entrance we can start to see some additional details for Super Silly Fun Land. 
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    I really think this little area may steal the show. 
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    From the Starway you can see a few more details. 
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    Oddly the best vantage point is through the ceiling of one of the Starway escalators. Go figure. 
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    There were some employee previews this past week but I'm told the preview did not include the ride, but did include some BA-NA-NA flavored treats that would make any Minion drool. 

    Wizarding World of Harry Potter

    Theme Park fans have been talking so much about Harry Potter the past few years that it's hard not to say that Wizarding World has "finally" gone vertical. 
    In all fairness, the actual construction for the area has only been going on since early September. Including the demolition of the Universal/Gibson Amphitheater the pace of construction is actually pretty impressive. 
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    Because the park has yet to release any detailed artwork it's hard to know what is going to go where, but it almost looks as if something is going to be inside whatever they are building here (Forbidden Journey?) and something else will therefore be sitting on top (Hogwarts?).  
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    To give some perspective to those of you familiar with Universal/Gibson Amphitheater, there is a stairway to the far left of this picture. That was the stairway that headed near the backstage area of the former amphitheater. 
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    Some wizards wear robes and carry wands, others wear hard hats and operate cranes. 
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    At the end of the tour we see another view of just how massive just this first level of steel is. 
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    More magic steel ready to be hoisted into place. 
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    Super Extreme Close-up. 
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    Simpsons Games

    Walls have come down around the new games near The Simpsons Ride. The games officially opened on Saturday March 8th. 
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    Dunk or Flunk
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    Sideshow You and Thar She Throws
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    Help Santa's Little Helper
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    Wild and Willie
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    Strike 3
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    Eye Carumba! 
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    We'll be sure to take some time to play some games and detail them more on our next trip. 

    Around The Park

    Not really a whole lot of other things going on around the park. 

    Waterworld is down for refurbishment as it will have some changes to the show to bring it closer to the version currently being shown in Singapore.  We'll be sure to take the waterproof camera and get a front row seat when the show reopens. =)
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    Tram Production Schedule for Friday March 7th. 
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    Speaking of the tram, now that Jimmy Fallon is hosting The Tonight Show, a slight change has been made to the sign out front. 
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    The Tram can transport you to exotic places ... like Las Vegas. This is outside the set for C.S.I.. 
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    Much of New York Street was closed due to filming of Parenthood. Visiting the park during the week increases your chances of seeing actual filming taking places, but also increases the likelihood that some sections of the backlot will be off-limits. 
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    Nothing going on in the former Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift show. 
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    I know it's cheesy, but the Flash Flood is still one of my favorite parts of the tram. 
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    Ooops. Looks like somebody got too close to one of the buildings in the Fountain Courtyard. The Phantom of the Opera Fountain is also nowhere to be seen. 
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    Jaws is still closed. 
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    Still more work going on in the former location of the Mummy Tunnel. 
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    And lastly, as promised, a tribute to one of the great face characters out at the park. This update it's Marilyn Monroe who was kind enough to pose for this picture just outside the tram. 
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    That's going to wrap it up for this update. Despicable Me is scheduled to open on April 10th. If we get wind of any kind of soft opening in the weeks before it's opening we'll be sure to pass it along. 
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  • Published on

    Rainy Day update from Six Flags Magic Mountain

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    This past weekend was one of the first rain-out weekends Southern California parks have had in some time as the area received some much needed rainfall. At least 3 major parks in the area were closed on Saturday March 1st due to the rain. 

    Sunday saw most parks returning to action including Six Flags Magic Mountain so we headed up to bring you the following update. 

    Bugs Bunny World / Speedy Gonzales Hot Rod Racers

    Considering it had been 2 full weeks since our last update we kind of expected more work to be done on the Bugs Bunny World refurbishment and the new coaster. In fact, only a few things are really different from our last update. 


    The new sign post in front of Bugs Bunny World is complete although the sign is yet to be added. 
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    There's some asphalt on the outside of the compass cement. Hopefully this is just for the time being and a more permanent concrete walkway will be added soon. This could be because they are re-doing the concrete in this entire area (it could use it). 
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    There really wasn't a whole lot of movement on Speedy Gonzales Hot Rod Racers in the last two weeks. No footers holes have been dug. 
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    Tweety's Escape looks to be completed and I'd expect it to be open soon. It may have opened this weekend if not for the rain. 
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    It's nice to see this popular kids ride get some TLC. It looks great in it's new home. 
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    Pepe Lepew's Tea Party is still closed, in fact it doesn't look like any work has been done on it at all. They did cover up some of the rides mechanism with plastic to protect it from the rain. 
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    The Merrie  Melodies Carousel is still having work done. 
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    New Sports Bar

    Mooseburger continues it's transformation into a Sports Bar. The outside is losing it's "High Sierra Territory" feel in favor of a more "sports bar" feel. 
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    Some of the wood in front is getting some work done. 
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    A peek inside. There will reportedly be about 20 TV's in the Sports Bar once it's completed. 
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    One of the flashy ad's has been removed from the building. The ad actually fits the Sports Bar theme more than the High Sierra theme. Not sure if a similar ad will come back. 
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    A closer look at the exterior paint being placed on the building. 
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    Bonzai Pipelines (Hurricane Harbor)

    The Demon Drop slide has been removed in preparation for the Bonzai Pipelines opening at Hurricane Harbor this summer. 
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    There are supposed to be two new slides, thus doubling the capacity although it will be interesting to see how they deal with the staircase just below. 
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    New Entrance Turnstiles 

    Six Flags is going to start rolling out Biometric scanners at all of their parks with all domestic parks receiving them sometime in 2014. The Coaster Guy had a great article about the new scanners after meeting with Jay Rasulo, Vice President of Project Management and IT for Six Flags Corp. 
    If you'd like to read more about the new scanners, I invite you to check out the article here


    A good portion of the old turnstiles have been removed at the front gates. 
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    As a result, before the park opens they are letting guests enter the front entry area and doing a "rope drop" similar to how pretty much every other park (including other Six Flags parks) currently operate. Hopefully they will continue this practice once the new turnstiles are installed. It really helps with the flow of the park and allows people to get Lockers, Flash Passes and maybe do a little shopping before the park opens. 

    General Admission park guests are held just outside Full Throttle and near the Grand Carousel prior to 10:30am. 
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    Gold Thrill Passholders still get early entry. 
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    Around The Park

    Due to the rain the early entry wasn't really necessary since a few popular rides were closed and crowds were very small.  
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    Some of the vinyl on the DC Universe entry is faded or it could be due to the recent rain. We really haven't had any significant rainfall since this area opened. 
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    Scrambler and Swashbuckler are still closed for refurbishment
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    Some trees near the Swashbuckler were tagged for something. Hopefully not removal as the trees looked pretty healthy to me. Maybe just trimming prior to the ride reopening. 
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    Bonus Points to anybody who recognizes this building that has recently resurfaced due to work being done in Bugs Bunny World. 
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    For our last update we shared that some trees near Jet Stream had been removed for what we hoped was flume work. Turns out it is for a new fence. 
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    It's a standard chain link fence that stretches all the way from where Jet Stream crosses the path all they way to Cyclone Bay. 
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    While separating guest from ride is a necessary thing, something other than a Chain Link fence would be nice. Similar fences are found in backstage area's which is fine, but on-stage, something nicer should be used. 
    Hopefully this is a temporary solution due to some present need to close off the area and a more permanant solution will present itself soon. 
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    Since there is no gate to go along with the fence I wouldn't anticipate this being addressed anytime soon. 
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    The front entry fountain has been drained for some work. Hopefully more fire effects for Fright Fest!!! 
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    Fright Fest Fire from October, 2013
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    The Falls have also been turned off during the closure. 
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    One of the Psyclone Backwards trains has been moved to the other track for Colossus. Hopefully this means they'll be running both sides this spring (one forward, one backwards). 

    We also heard reports that Batman Backwards is testing. Both should be opening sometime in March. We'll keep you updated. 
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    Superman was closed due to the rain. After a slow start, most major coasters were running by the time we left, around noon. 
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    And lastly, the sign in front of Laughing Dragon Pizza Co. has been removed. This location is generally reserved for private events (Media Days) and was used for the Willoughby's Fright Feast the last couple of years. Maybe if the new Sports Bar is successful this will come back as well. It's actually a nice space. 
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    That's going to wrap it up for this week. As Spring Break approaches I'd anticipate receiving some opening dates for both Batman and Colossus Backwards. Not sure if they will be having any kind of media day but we'll certainly be there when they open to bring you lots of pictures. 
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