downunder

^10.40pm might be sold already that's why it doesn't appear.

I'll be in the park before Fright Nights (I'm assuming it will be a big crowd during the day this Saturday because of school holidays), so I'll just show up for Ultimate Tour when I'm supposed to on Saturday. Luckily I'll have locals with me who have a bit of inside knowledge. Going to get my money's worth of food in the lounge. It's a shame they are not doing the separate lights-on tours of the mazes during the day this year, they were cool.

^^Great photos BTW, I really like the angle on the wave swinger.

One of my friends tried on one of the panic rooms, said it was super cool, and that's from someone who thought they would be crap.

^Dude if I was a Disney fan I would spend more time there, instead I'm focusing on the small number of Disney attractions I want to see and spending the rest of my time at Busch, Sea World, and Universal.

Four portaloos without a door handle on the inside?

I'll be there during the day too, so I might try it then. No one I'm going with is interested.

^Ha ha good old Piss weak world, I reference that often, especially in relation to Dreamworld. Whatever there new coaster, if they ever add another lol (like, they cost lots of money), it will be a disappointment. Dreamworld, so many mediocre worlds in one. But seriously, something that goes out into the bush would be cool. Going below and above the treeline.

^I've been every year since 2009 and they're always just past the entrance. The Purge scare zone (and previous scare zones) started just past where the house of horrors was and there's a guy there on a microphone talking advocating a purge. The scare actors work their way back towards the dancers, but don't go that far. This year the purge is the terror tram theme and a scare zone in the backlot.

^My suggestions in the first paragraph were mostly tongue in cheek. The go-go's work at Universal, the event is loud with music blaring, and they adds a decadent, anarchic, adult flavour to the event. And they are positioned well before any scare zone, just past the entrance. Zombie Strippers would have to be one of the stupidest films ever, but it's fun silly.

We're booked, doing Animal Kingdom first - ride the coasters, then out of there - single rider line all the way for Everest, We will get there a good while before park opening. Then the Studios, ride the coaster, done everything else before, maybe do the Movie ride and the Tower again if crowds are good. Then we leave. Epcot maybe if we're doing good for time. Test Track single rider line, been there before, not interested in Soaring or Mission Space unless there are no lines. Then Magic Kingdom, we've pre-booked fast passes for the main things we want to do - which start from 5pm. Anything else is a bonus, done it all before. MK is open until midnight that day. Going on a weekday in late October, no magic hours to compete with for the first three parks. Doing MK on a non Halloween party night. Our goal is very modest, so I think we're a chance. I'm not a huge Disney fan, so I'm not real fussed.

Go go dancers up the front like Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights, pyro as well. Zombie Strippers maze LOL - that's starting to sound like some of the clubs in Surfers. Sccoby Doo might be good if they wanted to go for a more light hearted maze for the scaredy cats. I think they need to further monetise the event, because they get big crowds, but how many actually paid? Generate more revenue, most likely more budget, more mazes.

The Panic rooms take 2 groups per hour (according to the booking engine), so they're earning $160 / hour for 5 hours, $800 a night. I find that hard to believe that will cover costs unless multiple groups can be in there simultaneously. I'm ineterested to see how big these things are and it sounds like they will be occupied by multiple scareactors, maybe they will be like mini-mazes; or just a backyard shed. All will be revealed soon.

Mystery Manor sounds cool, I might have to check it out. I think Hair Raiser is a really good drop tower with a real kick. The jolt at the end ins't too pleasant, but otherwise it's a good ride.

Trapped at Knott's last year was $60 for up to 6 people, and that must have had at least 10 rooms that required escape from if memory serves right. It's not good value at all, I might be tempted to try one out of curiosity, I'm waiting to see what the people I'm going with think. I wonder what they'd do if you fronted up alone to do one and you've paid for it?

Is anyone going to try the panic rooms, has anyone booked already?

At those prices the panic rooms better be something special.

I go to Halloween Horror Night, Knott's Scary Farm and numerous other US haunts every year and I think Fright Nights (which I attended for the first time last year) compares very favorably with the big boys on a number of fronts. The soundstage mazes were impressive and wouldn't look out of place at HHN. The other two mazes were pretty good, I've been in worse clown mazes than the one at FN. And the Ultimate Tour was excellent. One the minus, the scare zones weren't quite as good and the lack of attractions relative to the size of the crowd really told. I like what they've done this year that looks like it will improve the event (more scare zones?, better non-soundstage mazes, panic rooms, 4D film). I wish Universal Hollywood would put on something in their Shrek theatre to eat up the crowds at HHN. Even though I'll be doing HHN on both coasts, Knotts and so on this year. I'll be up again for Fright Nights (or Night in my case).

^Nice observation about Emma Stone. That would be good for a commercial. Zombieland 2, now that's something I'll be looking forward too. If only Bill Murray could make a miraculous recovery from that gunshot wound.

^To put it in perspective, I do travel to at least some of the best parks in the world every year - so I'm a bit jaded and when compared, DW is pretty much Pissweakworld. A nice little tight woodie zooming through the bush would be cool or perhaps a Maverick style coaster.

^I know, what a revelation, I felt like I truly attaned enlightment when I realised this about Dreamworld. I've been to Dreamworld once since 2003, and that was one visit too many.

I doubt they will put anything in I'm dreaming about, not even something modest. I can't see Six Flags Over Coomera doing anything impressive - feel free to surprise me.

^That will be cool, I'd laugh if it accidentally got screened during the day, parents might not be though. The Friday the 13th 4D film seems to be being farmed out everywhere, Frighdome in Las Vegas is screening it too during their event.

I wish they'd tell us more about the Panic Rooms, it will interesting to see how they will work and what they are. Locals tell me they will be $20 a room, I presume with multiple people allowed - but I guess we'll see.

They were talking about in on TripleM this morning and it made news, must be a slow news day. I'll take a side of bullshit with my breakfast. Well if he has got the $$$, I'll put in my wish list: *Dueling wood coaster, one side Intamin prefab, the other RMC. *Expedition GeForce clone, just double the size. *Quadrupled sized version of Maverick. *600 foot version of Millennium Force. *A thousand foot Intamin rocket. *And anyone should be allowed on the kiddie coasters. *Oh and q-bots that teleport you to your ride. I'll believe it when I see it with respect to Wonderland 2.0.