DaptoFunlandGuy

the gondolas are too wide to permit a third track. You'd have to reduce the capacity of the two tracks that already exist to get one that might or might not fill the gaps - thereby keeping the same capacity at an enormous expense.

I covered that: So basically you'd have a scan-out at the grouping area, and a scan-in\out at the entrance. So if you leave the queue, you have to scan-out to leave (so there'd be an exit turnstile as well as an entrance turnstile.) It wouldn't increase staffing levels as you would have existing staff at the front of the attractions that would require it - such as scooby and superman. For accessibility - wheelchairs and strollers and so on, use the exit ramp where applicable.

Dont even need a gas strut - hinge it sideways and lock it on the side. We've talked before about the electronic option, but its just not feasible. The parks operated for years without them, it is a convenience, and not something to be relied upon, and they're only ever needed during christmas and easter. Granted, it would be GREAT to have proper electronic boards. But if we're going to go to all that expense - heres a spitballed idea i've been wishing for (which would never happen) - Have each person either utilise their existing ticket, or some type of wristband (like splash cash) with a barcode. Have a barcode scanner at the entrance to every attraction (with a turnstile). You scan into the queue, and when you reach the grouper \ boarding area - you scan out of the queue and onto the ride. If you didn't "scan in" then you can't "scan out". (And if you leave the queue to go elsewhere you have to "scan out" of the queue again) The benefits are many: Scanning in\out would give an accurate up-to-the-minute queue time that could be displayed at the queue entrance (and by wifi - screens around the park and the other queuetime boards at the front of each ride) It would completely eliminate queue jumpers or "place savers". The "scan out" scanner would not permit you into the grouping area until all those who had scanned ahead of you have scanned out. It would give park management an immediate knowledge of capacity \ queue sizing, and enable them to respond accordingly with additional staff \ additional trains etc etc. The technology would be adaptable to fastpath systems as well. Of course, it's a complete pipe dream, and unlikely to ever occur, but it's a nice thought.

I wasn't arguing with you Rappa, I was agreeing with you, but pointing out that the design of the particular attraction's station you mentioned wasn't the only contributing factor. As to the tower, read below: From "More Mouse Tales - A closer peek backstage at Disneyland" by David Koenig. There is more but it's a lot to type and I have to get off to work. Bottom line is the original design (and I say that because I am unaware of any modifications made when they relaunched it), had an automatic despatch that would set the sleds despatching based on a timer. If there was an issue - such as a person could not load before the sled despatched - then the tower would direct the sled in the opposite direction - the same place the sleds go when it is overweight. There have been situations when the tower was supposed to redirect the sled and neglected to do so - causing a breakdown. I agree with you that the downhill spiral of the spaceport greatly assists the efficient loading and unloading, however if I were to put another quote from the same book: Can any station or tower operator immediately shut down the attraction if there is an unsafe condition? Yes. Do they try at all times to avoid a shutdown as a cascade stop is a time consuming process to restart? Yes. I'll have to flick through these books again as there are a number of other stories in the same vein as these for space mountain - if you don't own them - I would suggest having a look. End of the day, I agreed with your point but just wanted to make mention that the particular ride you cited as being so efficient by design actually had other reasons for the efficiency - thats all.

I think Rappa's confirmation is more than enough to guarantee this is the case.

Considering the popularity of Elmo, and other characters which still hold their popularity today, perhaps the Sesame Street image was more desirable, considering a lot of cartoon network characters (?powerpuff girls?) were not as recognisable, especially if the family doesn't have pay-tv? Just an opinion, but those are my thoughts on the issue.

No, it wasn't necessarily in an inoperable state, although we don't really know now, do we? The cost of purchasing a new loco - in the scheme of things, wouldn't be that great, however the cost of running the railway is the prohibitive factor. With the park's design, the operation of the train impedes guest flow, causing bottle necks near ray reef. It doesn't offer the views of the park and the esplanade that the monorail does, isn't air-conditioned, and actually tours through some relatively ugly parts of the park. Coupled with the fact that it doesn't actually cover the entire park (whereas the monorail does), it was outdated, and unsuited to the job. Not that i'm agreeing it is being "replaced" as such, but I would much prefer that SeaWorld "replaced" the train with another attraction, even if it is an upcharge, than simply boarding up the stations and placing tables in front of it and pretending like it doesn't exist. If an attraction is SBNO for more than 12 (since Jet Rescue opened) months after it is closed before "groundbreaking" begins on the new attraction, you can hardly consider that a replacement. The train was gone 18 months ago - you can't protest the logging of a forest when the field is already bare. As to there being no chance of a return, all we have at present is some sketchy information repeated to a third party about the proposed route of the tour. There is minimal modification required, and as you pointed out, most of the track has a pathway beside it so it may not need the track to be torn out. For the sections that do need to be altered, who said the alterations needed to be permanent? If all the hardware is still there and operable, it is hardly a burial. If the segway idea flops, the sub-contractor disappears, and the train can re-open? I'm not quite sure if you're for or against the discussion as far as BL - WWW, I don't quite understand what you are saying. IMO It is an example of replacing a free attraction with an upcharge, even though it is a standalone in it's own right, and so (sort of) is the SW Water Park. Thinking logically, the plans to privatise the waterpark happened long before we heard of it. The work on the slide tower, the construction of the mammoth, it had sat there for years with no work done to it - why do you think they began improving it all of a sudden? Shortly after all the improvements are complete - the waterpark goes private - coincidence? So they didn't close it, improve on the original, and then re-open as an upcharge (like BL-WWW) but it still had the same events - just in a different sequence.

Well I hadn't included the water park simply because if you consider it as "after your admission to the park, you can enter our water park, for just a little more...." kind of works with DW and WWW as well, doesn't it? What paddle boats? I wasn't aware SW had Skill games, but that just puts it on par with everyone else, and drops it off the list. Directly caused the closure of an attraction? Are you saying that the Segway is the reason the SeaWorld train will no longer operate? Wake up and smell the coalfire paul - the SW train was dead long before this Segway guy even dreamt up the idea. As to the SW waterpark (your "once free, now costs extra" idea) - you didn't seem to have an issue when the subject was raised - you didn't comment that you weren't happy in that thread? So, hang on - White Water world is a fair upgrade in its own right? I don't consider WWW an upcharge - it is an entirely different park offering numerous attractions, that is also accessible independently of DW - eg: you don't have to enter DW to utilise it. On second thoughts - that concept ALSO works with the SW water park, now, doesn't it? You don't need to enter SW to use the waterpark, so long as you are a guest at SW Resort. And as to the coin ops Paul, I know they are a given - that is why I said "i haven't included them, because all parks have them"

You're spot on Rappa, although the efficiency on Space Mountain isn't just because the queues are well designed, or the loading process is easy to see from the queue line, or because the exit is separated from the entrance, or because the grouping is quite natural - is mainly a mechanical issue. If the tower doesn't keep the trains running through, the mountain will eventually cascade to a stop. I've heard numerous stories of guest delays where cast members have had to bodily remove them from the train because they failed to unload fast enough. I'm unaware of any changes to the block system when they released SM2, but this was how they've always run it in the past - it certainly is good the way the station is set up for observation so that riders can be aware of what is required ahead of time, but they tend to have a higher capacity because of the block system, rather than any station efficiencies.

It is unusual that we haven't heard any rumors from internal sources as yet. Usually the parks would engage a confidentiality of some sort until they are ready to announce the project - so this guy might just have let the cat out of the bag, and that might damage his contractual agreement. I have to say loanne, i'm not trying to knock your authenticity, but some of your comments sound like a sales pitch on a bad infomercial... you sure you don't have a vested interest? You also seem to know a lot of the intricate details of the tour, for someone who was discussing the subject in passing.... And to Paul: With the exception of the animal encounters (which are a necessary additional extra, not just to fund their research activities, but also to prevent 15,000 people per day climbing in the water with a dolphin), This would be the second upcharge attraction at SeaWorld. I think if you compare the list, you will see why people compain about Dreamworld's current upcharges. Sea World Animal Encounters (I consider this as one) Helicopters Possible introduction of SegWay Total: 2 current, 1 possible Wet N Wild Cabana Hire (which are a premium extra to enhance an existing experience) Tube Hire (although I don't know if they do this anymore - it wasn't open when we went before christmas - also a premium extra to enhance an existing experience) 1 x Skill Game (high striker) Total: 2 current, 1 possible Movie World Multiple Skill Games Green Screen Music Videos Total: 2 current Dreamworld V8 Redline FlowRider Dreamworld Helicopters Multiple skill games Rock climbing wall Q4U (enhances existing experience) Animal Encounters (all considered as one also) Total: 7 current (I haven't included coin-op style games or attractions such as remota boats or intencity, as all parks have these type of attractions.) I'm pretty sure I got all of them, but if I have missed any please post it so we can update the tally. I seem to remember one or more of the parks (DW \ MW) did an old-time photos thing, but can't remember which, and this isn't really an experience as such as taking something tangible home (same with tattoos or hair decorations)

That's not the Walt way...

Well it did take up a lot of real estate because it sat diagonally... Clearing the real estate to have some land in reserve for future attractions? Maybe our 2010 attraction will go in there?

Well you learn something new every day - i've never seen that before. Obviously never been busy enough to open it up. I did see it on maps in the past, and thought it might have just been boat storage or something.

The thing about superman is that when it is running efficiently, a full queue house can still clear quickly. I've walked into a queue that had JUST spilled over into the third set of switchbacks (in front of the lockers) and it still took only 30 or so minutes to ride. It just depends on the staffing levels as to how fast they can pump it through, and given this is peak season, one would expect that MW had their best crew on the job. WWF doesn't have an outdoor queue, it has a second part of the queue to your right as you first walk in the queue house. What Gazza is saying is that rarely (if ever) would you ever see the right hand side in use (it was used in its first months of operation, but that is literally years ago). Just look to your right hand side as you walk doen the queue house and you will see all this extra unused space. I think its a shame that they don't show the video anymore too. That was a good queue-breaker and helped to set the scene.

Too right Joz, More likely, what is missing is the thrill generation for teenagers. There are plenty of family \ kiddy attractions already. What we need is a real thrillseeker (but not that one).

Has anyone been yet?

^^^ Agreed Gazza. I am disappointed that twister and speed will depart, as they were quite enjoyable (if not slightly capacity poor) attractions. Considering they both use the same tower, then presumably the Aqualoops will also use it? That height sounds like quite an enjoyable experience. (I wasn't quite sure of the dimensions having only seen pictures without anything to scale it against). Having said that, a lot of these types of slides are a fair bit "old hat" and dated these days, but I always enjoyed those two slides on colder \ rainy days as they tended to harbour the hot air, and it warmed you up quite a bit.

Don't worry Xeno, In time, you'll learn, much like the rest of us, to tune Whitsy out and ignore most of what he says. In general, if it has obscenity in it, you can ignore it.

This is dated the 29th of September, and is the first email I got from MyFun regarding it. If three of your family are myfun members, maybe all three of them elected not to receive marketing material from myfun.com.au in the signup process...? Well, I tried to locate a youtube video of the ads, but it seems it wasn't worthy of the tube. Instead, here is an example of how quiet VRTP tried to keep the blackout lift: THE MYFUN MEDIA CENTRE PRESS RELEASE! (dated 25/09/09) MyFun Press Release - Due to Popular Demand Or there is the website: MyFun Website Promotion Then there was the post on Parkz Forums: Parkz Breaking News And now, that staple of the technology savvy generation, who also couldn't keep it quiet: The Sea World Facebook page (There are several other facebook pages that also talk about the blackouts being lifted, but i couldn't be bothered hosting the images for any more of them.

They did inform us - several months ago - around the same time that Dreamworld started offering their version of the VIP pass without blackouts - and making that a key part of their promotion. If you are a MyFun member, you would have gotten an email. It was also posted on their website, and in numerous places on TV \ newspaper advertising. More of the advertisements just didn't plug the blackout, but the online ads actually went into great detail with something like "due to popular demand"...

Gazza, wash your mouth out! I'm leaning on the "Testing the waters" theory. It is true you'd always want something happening in the studios, but if the movie is a WB\VR partner production, who says they need to bump out the day they finish shooting? If the soundstage isn't required for another film, why can't they leave the set up for a while? I recall the last time I went on the studio tour (back in 1994) one of the soundstages just had a big spread of mannequins with authentic costumes from big blockbusters of the day. Some animatronic figures (such as one of the gremlins) were also set up there. Some of the matrix mini sets and costumes from the matrix exhibit, harry potter - you could ensure there was always SOMETHING to view - who cares if they don't change it for a while - only the locals and regulars would notice, and thats no worse than the same stunt show running for 15+ years.

Well, I'm going to look towards Gazza to provide the stats on how often Mattcrombie has been right - i've got a feeling its a high percentage, but Gazza is the master of finding old threads and topics - so i'll await his opinion, but thanks for the insider Matt - I can't wait.

Two questions - What is a Cust? ...and how do you COT it? At the end of the day, if you can get it for free, why pay for it? We recently rolled out a screen capture program across several thousand computers - and at the end of the day, the program we chose was an unlimited trial - No purchase necessary, no restrictions, no locks - nothing. There is the option to buy the license, but only if you want it to capture full time, not just when you press a button (as in like a security type thing). We use it to capture screen shots when troubleshooting an issue at remote sites. So to movie world - if the author of the program made the functionality of the PDF creator work for your needs without the need to buy a license - GREAT! A few extra bucks in the pocket towards other - let's admit it - more important things.

If I remember correctly, wasn't MW doing shuttles to PC at one stage? couldn't this be it? Or maybe this is the start of some sort of local park hopper - maybe between SW Resort and MW\WNW?

^^^ Except it won't hire a locker for you.