O Captain! My Captain! EO!: Triumphant Nostlagia Returns to Disneyland

During a recent trip to Disneyland I had the pleasure of experiencing two newly re-opened nostalgia filled attractions: the fifth generation "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" and "Captain EO: Tribute". I thought I would offer my two cents on both...

Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln (Mach 5)
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln has not been a crowd drawing E-ticket attraction since its debut at the World's Fair in 1964, many see it as a 20 minute air conditioned break, but what it has been for decades is the last sliver of earnest, not entirely Disneyfied, American patriotism that Walt would be proud of. This latest incarnation continues the technologically impressive "edutaining", history lesson's legacy. The presentation begins with a well-made 10ish minute film about the Civil War featuring period music, historical photos, new artwork by Pocahontas animator John Pomeroy, and Paul Frees narration that combines elements from past versions with new material. The screen and curtains pull back to reveal not-quite-perfect robot Lincoln on an elaborate set with dramatic lighting and a classy background that changes from day to colorful sunset to starry night. Robo-Abe delivers the attraction's original speech crafted from segments of actual Lincoln speeches handpicked by Walt Disney himself and recorded by Royal Dano in the 60's. The recording, of course, has been digitally restored and sharpened for an improved presidential experience. There is an epic finale that concludes with a soaring eagle and the unabashedly patriotic ballad "Golden Dream" originally written for the classic Epcot attraction "The American Adventure". As you exit the attraction the hallway is filled with portraits of other important/influential patriots....such as George Lucas...and that is really the only negative thing I have to say about the experience...I have to see 'ole George being revered in the same manner as the Great Emancipator. Overall this is an excellent incarnation of the classic attraction, way better than the 2001 rehab that required you to wear headphones so they could simulate your hair being cut, aurally. More importantly though, Disneyland would be incomplete without this attraction, it will hopefully always be there in one form or another. Walt would want it that way. The park is filled with nostalgia for the past, even nostalgia for an old-fashioned view of the future, but this is the only instance of real historical preservation and true patriotism...which was always part of Walt's vision for the park. Grade: A

Captain EO: Tribute
I must preface this by saying that I have no recollection of seeing this in its original form (although it's quite possible that I did), only downloaded on my computer. While waiting in the queue to enter the theater, the audience is treated to the original pre-show film, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Captain EO featuring George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, and a bunch of dancers whom it mostly focuses on. Not a particularly interesting video, except in the sense of a historical document. Then you enter the theater and the real fun begins. A cast member gives a tidbit of history and directs the audience to put on their 3D glasses, and then we jump right in to the original 4D theme park movie experience featuring Michael Jackson and Angelica Houston. The plot is thin, the effects are old fashioned, and Michael is a laughable space captain, but all of that is irrelevant, because you are watching an enhanced/extended Michael Jackson music video, and everyone loves a Michael Jackson music video! Most of the original 4D effects are back in action, plus the new added bonus of the hydraulics equipped seating that simulates the ship's movement and (my personal favorite) bounces with the bass heavy pop tunes! The 3D looks great and the puppets and physical effects are much more charming than their lifeless CGI counterparts that would inevitably be in their place if it were remade today. As Captain EO sings, dances, and turns evil cyborgs into rainbow clad dancers via lasers from his hands, you can't help but bob with the music (literally) and have a great time! Despite being the first 4D movie ever produced, it still holds up remarkably well as a Disney theme park attraction, a testament to the dedication of its creators (or maybe MJ is just timeless). In any event, it is a refreshing change from Honey, I Shrunk the Audience which was really showing its age with the early 90's CGI and youthful Rick Moranis (Seriously though, what 8-year-old today has seen a "Honey, I Shrunk..." movie? I hope it doesn't return when Captain EO runs it's course). So in conclusion, despite its corniness, its solid theme park entertainment and definitely worth checking out next time you're there. Grade: B+

Great Job Disney, I can't wait for "World of Color" this summer!
Leisure On, folks!

Recession Dissection: Disney Discounts, Hard Rock Hawked

In previous posts I have touched upon the failing economy's negative effects on the theme park world, today I want to delve into this issue more in depth and explore exactly how parks across the country are being affected and responding to this recession. It is no secret, people are spending less today than they were a year ago, especially on unnecessary bonus commodities. According to NPD Group's latest Consumer Spending Indicator report, "In October, consumers said they were most likely to cut back on dining out (with 57% saying they planned to spend less), followed by apparel at 54% and entertainment at 50%." That includes theme park admission, souvenirs, and dining. Disney, Universal, and SeaWorld are all reporting lower profits this quarter. Although this is affecting the entire industry, it is the non-Disneys and Universals that are in the most trouble. Many parks are putting their plans on hold or shutting down entirely. Tennessee's Dollywood has delayed it's latest projects until 2010. Florida's famous Cypress Gardens is removing their rides and zoo animals. If you have a couple thousand bucks to spare you can purchase their attractions online (Starliner Woodie for sale, pictured, left). Branson's Celebration City is among the handful of parks that have been forced to shut down. Most depressing of all is that Hard Rock Park, the only major American theme park to open in the last decade, which filed for bankruptcy back in September, is up for sale six months after it's debut. With the future of theme parks everywhere on the line, I have commented on two excellent blogs regarding theme parks' responses to the current economic climate. One on a major park and one on a minor park. The first post I commented on, "Chance to Purchase Disney Theme Park Merchandise at Discount May be Approaching," is about the Mouse's latest response to the entertainment spending recession. Following up on a previous post about Hard Rock Park misfortunes, my second comment is on the Coaster Critic's post, "Hard Rock Park for Sale, Future Uncertain." I have included my comments below as well as to the bloggers' posts.

"Chance to Purchase Disney Theme Park Merchandise at Discount May be Approaching"
Comment:
Thank you for your lively post about Disney's new discount merchandise test. There have really been some interesting new Disney developments in response to the country's economy as of late, starting with the "What Will You Celebrate?" campaign. Unfortunately, I cannot see this idea being very successful. For one, it appeals only to a limited group of big Disney spenders or collectors who will be purchasing these items whether they have a discount or not. It is just a little bonus for them. These are the people that Disney has chosen as the testees for this experiment, and beyond this group it will be far less popular. Even if guests are willing to spend five hundred dollars on merchandise, they will feel better about it if they spend a little at a time as opposed to one large sum for the credit. On the other hand, it is possible that consumers may react favorably because it could theoretically put an imaginary limit on their spending. They have a specific sum of money allotted for the vacation and their souvenir budget must fit within this frame. Personally, I think the way I would use the credit would be on the collectible Disney artwork that I so covet every visit. Those might not be included in the credit's usage policy though. The fact, however, is that I am a poor college student, and as much as I would love to buy hundreds of dollars worth of Disney merchandise credit, it is not going to happen. This promotion is not going to affect my Disney consumption in the slightest, perhaps something a little less high roller oriented such as meal coupons would be a more enticing deal to those on a smaller budget. It is interesting that you do point out that there are benefits to be found in this time of economic crisis, which is a point that is often forgotten. There are great deals everywhere, and if you are a die hard Disney collector, this is a dream come true. Discounted merchandise inside the park is a rare phenomenon, indeed. Should this offer open to all Disney visitors, in addition to the select group it is currently servicing, it will be interesting to follow it's success and see if Universal follows suit with a similar promotion.

"Hard Rock Park for Sale, Future Uncertain"
Comment:
Thank you for another interesting and timely post. Sadly, this is most unfortunate news. I have been looking forward to Hard Rock Park since it was announced and was unable to make it to Myrtle Beach from Los Angeles in the few months it was open. The current economic slump is really taking a toll on these smaller parks. With so many shutting down and plans being pushed back, I hope we have a financial turn around soon. Theme parks' futures are on the line, certainly Hard Rock's is. It would definitely be interesting to see if the park's success would have been different in more affluent times. Although, the management's marketing incompetence seems to have been a major factor in it's demise. I think Cedar Fair would be the best choice for a new owner. In my opinion, they really improved Knott's Berry Farm's management when they purchased it in 1997. Granted they got rid of a lot of classic attractions that gave Knott's it's nostalgic, old-school charm, but financially it has been successful. What do you think would be the best choice? From what I know about Hard Rock Park, it appears to have more than a few worthy rides, attractions, shows, and ideas to be given a fair chance.

It is interesting to see how different parks are affected by the unfavorable economic climate. Disney does not seem too worried, offering a few merchandise and hotel discounts, while other parks like Celebration City are closing the gates. Perhaps it is time for parks to lower admission costs. When was the last time that happened? In a depression environment, the movie industry thrives because it is still the cheapest form of entertainment outside of the house, despite the higher-than-ever ticket prices. In order for theme parks to compete with them, it only makes sense to lower admission prices, especially in California where Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed applying the sales and use tax rate to amusement parks and sporting events, which will raise park admission by seven to eight dollars. I might have to sacrifice TiVo or gasoline to get my theme park fix. These are trying times. The worst part, however, is that we cannot look forward to any new parks getting built in this kind of economy.

Cirque du Suck: No Country for New Age Acrobatics

In a previous post I commented on the bane of every theme park: bad parenting. This week I discuss the second worse unpleasantness invading parks across the world: Cirque du Soleil and its rip-off shows. Almost every major theme park I have been to in recent years contains its own shortened version of the New Age, techno music driven, costumed Euro-acrobat extravaganza. The latest of these artsy displays is A'Lure, The Call of the Ocean (pictured, left) which just opened at SeaWorld, Orlando. The appeal of thinly plotted, repetitious acrobatics is beyond me, yet for some reason these pretentiously French-titled shows span the country from Cirque de la Mer at SeaWorld, San Diego to DisneyWorld's La Nouba. Las Vegas has not surprisingly become the Mecca of Cirque shows and smaller amusement venues such as zoos have their own versions. When will there be a stop to the Cirques? Although my own contempt for these shows can be traced to a personal issue, the Cirque-style acrobat performances are over-saturating the already struggling theme park show market.

The first issue I want to address is the appeal of these shows. Why are they so popular? I surmise that theme park managers love them because they are safe in the sense that they have multi-cultural and multi-generational appeal. Anyone can be amazed by the feats of the human body because that is something every human shares. Prolific columnist Linda Sharp conjectures that in a more health-conscious, exercise-obsessed world, people are drawn to and inspired by the physically fit performers of Cirque du Soleil. "If you are ever in the market for a truly humbling experience in terms of what the human body is actually capable of, take in any performance of the Cirque du Soleil — Be it live or televised," Sharp advises, "those one hundred sit-ups and two miles on the treadmill won't seem like such an accomplishment anymore." The traditional theme park style musical show can alienate certain people with its musical style (showtune, rock 'n' roll, funk, etc.) or storyline (if there is one), but anyone can appreciate acrobatics without any previous pop culture knowledge. Cirque-style entertainment is just the latest trend of bland mass-appeal theme park fads such as stunt and extreme sports shows from the 1980's and 1990's. Yet there is an interesting paradox regarding Cirque du Soleil that should be noted: even though the white, middle-class has been a traditionally homophobic group as we have just seen in the current election, it is precisely the white, middle-class who have popularized Cirque-style acrobatics despite the blatant homosexual undertones (see pictures, above and below). The cheapest "obstructed view" ticket at Las Vegas's notoriously homoerotic, Zumanity, costs $69, yet the show's success, in addition to the success of all the other Cirque productions, suggests that America has wholly embraced evenings of perfectly toned bodies, tight spandex, garish face paint, flamboyant costumage, and man grappling. When did same-sex ballet become more popular than "76 Trombones?"

Although the mass adoration of Cirque du Soleil may be a paradox, my own feelings toward it most certainly are not. I will have to diverge from the theme park world for a moment to explain my distaste. The Cirque-style show has usurped the position of real circuses such as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and commandeered the term "circus." Reviewers and publications talk about Cirque du Soleil as if it is a circus, it is not! Circuses take place under a big top and have a variety of acts taking place within one to three rings with American-style clowns, a ringmaster, popcorn, peanuts, cotton candy, some acrobatics, and most importantly animals. Cirque du Soleil is a major contributor to the disappearance of the traditional circus, something that is dear to my heart. Almost every year growing up my mom would take my sister and me to the San Diego Sports Arena to see Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus, "The Greatest Show On Earth." I have many fond memories of this incredibly fun and entertaining event, but I could not say when the last time I went to the circus was. Of course, the other major contributor to the decline of the traditional circus is PETA and the animal rights activists who think the only place for an animal to be is in the wild. It is true that Ringling Bros. has a history of animal abuse, and that definitely needs to stop, but overall they treat their animals with care and respect and even run a conservation center for elephants. The point I want to make here is that I cannot stand Cirque du Soleil because to me it represents the loss of the traditional circus.

Theme park show fads like Cirque-style acrobatics can be entertaining at first, but they have been around for a good ten years now and I have seen the same boring formula repeated over and over again. It is time to find something new. Cirque du Soleil can have its own theatrical venues where I never have to see them, but they need to get out of my beloved theme parks. They are preventing the development of fresh ideas and filling the venue space of better traditional performances. Hopefully, the scathing reviews for the latest Cirque du Soleil abomination, Criss Angel: BiLIEve, which opened on Halloween, are a sign of the demise of the New Age acrobatics tyranny. On the other hand, the struggling economy has severely decreased Broadway ticket sales, which cannot be a good sign for theater in general. An even worse thought than Cirque show saturated theme parks, is a world with no shows at all, and that is a very sad thought indeed. Theatrical entertainment is just as important to the theme park experience as rides, so come on parks! Get out of this boring slump and entertain me with a show!

Terminator Vs. Transformers: California Theme Parks Stuck In 1984

This October was an exciting month to be a theme park fanatic in Southern California. Not only have the local parks' Halloween haunt events, which get bigger and better each year, been going on all month, but two major new attractions based on 1980's motion picture franchises were confirmed for the Los Angeles area. Six Flags Magic Mountain revealed that the mystery construction taking place at the site of their recently torn down woodie, Psyclone, is in fact, the foundation for Terminator: The Coaster, a new family wooden coaster experience featuring "a unique queue line and on-board entertainment elements." The ride is expected to debut alongside the release of the fourth installment in the popular film series, Terminator: Salvation, next summer. Not to be outdone, Universal has announced Transformers: The Ride to open first at their Singapore location in 2010 and then Universal Studios Hollywood in 2011. According to the press release, "The attraction will fuse 3D-HD media, mega special effects and stunning robotics with a ride system that will transform perceptions of theme park experiences ." Despite the fact that both the original Terminator movie and Transformers animated series debuted in 1984, the success of these franchises is stronger than ever twenty-four years later and finally invading the theme park scene. While Michael Bay's mega-blockbuster live action Transformers movie about sentient good and evil robots fighting over the future of mankind seems perfectly fit for a theme park attraction, the Terminator story, about sentient good and evil robots fighting over the future of mankind could be questionable. ...wait a minute. I sense a common theme. 1984 was all about robots! Not exactly what George Orwell had in mind. Anyway, the description of the Transformers ride sounds great, but the Terminator theme seems a bit weird for a wooden coaster. I have chosen to analyze these rides further by commenting on two excellent posts. The first, "Six Flags Announces Terminator Coaster @ Magic Mountain" is written by net-famous blogger, The Coaster Critic, who offers his unique view on the new ride. The second, "Michael Bay Doesn't Like the Idea of a 'Transformers' Ride" is written by Colin Boyd at movie news blog, Get The Big Picture, and discusses director Michael Bay's qualms about a ride based on his film. I have placed my comments to these posts below as well as to the authors' blogs.

"Six Flags Announces Terminator Coaster @ Magic Mountain"
Comment:
Thank you for your astute analysis of Magic Mountain's new Terminator coaster. As a theme park enthusiast and Southern California resident, I must agree that the quality of our state's wooden coasters is unacceptably sub-par and this ride could be a major enhancement to the So-Cal coaster scene. Ghostrider is a fantastic ride, but it is the only one we have. Terminator could be the answer to our troubles. Magic Mountain's description of the attraction having a "unique queue" and "on-board entertainment elements" is extremely intriguing, yet mystifyingly vague. This could be a major revolution in the history of out-door coaster theming, but it could also just be a lame gimmick. The last decade saw a renaissance in indoor coaster theming, but outdoor coasters have stayed relatively theme free, aside from the names and queues. Maybe outdoors will become the new indoors. Given the theme, the fact that it is a wooden coaster is truly bizarre. Skynet certainly does not use wood in their plan to annihilate the human race, perhaps it may make sense as more news of the coaster's mythology is brought to light. The Terminator theme is questionable considering that 2003's Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was not too big of a hit and there is not much buzz surrounding next year's Terminator: Salvation. As you say though, "Six Flags is likely looking for that fun, family friendly ride that will have wider appeal," and as long as Six Flags delivers an excellent ride, the theme is less important. It certainly has more potential than Thorpe Park's new Saw themed coaster. It is humorous that both Six Flags and Universal announced their evil 1980's robot apocalypse themed attractions at the same time. I am probably looking forward more to Transformers: The Ride seeing as I am a big dark ride adventure fan, but it is possible that Terminator: The Coaster could send outdoor coaster theming and design in a whole new direction. In any case, I am extremely excited that both of these rides are coming to my home and cannot wait to ride them.

"Michael Bay Doesn't Like the Idea of a 'Transformers' Ride"
Comment:
Thank you for your humorous post about Michael Bay and his concern for Universal's Transformers ride. I do not want to be overly critical about Bay, he is a talented action director, but this guy is so ridiculously egotistical sometimes. He pretends to be the pinnacle of artistic integrity, and yet the most direction he gave to Megan Fox on the Transformer's set is to just "look sexy." The Transformer's plot, like most Bay films, is not exactly complex: bad robots want to destroy Earth, good robots come to protect it, and some goofy humans run around. It is possible that the ride designers could create an even better story for the ride than that of the film. Considering Bay's unabashed commercialism, if anything he should be in full support of the ride because it will complete the unstoppable force of synergy that sells the Transformers brand: toys, animated series, animated movie, comic books, live action movie, video games, and finally a theme park attraction. As you point out, he adapted an animated series that was based on a line of toys! A line of toys from the early 80's no less. He is not the sole creative voice when it come to Transformers, it is nice to see others' creative interpretations of the material as well. McG is not protesting Six Flags Magic Mountain's new Terminator coaster that will help to sell his film, Terminator: Salvation. There have only been three directors who have successfully had creative input on the adaptation of their films into theme park attractions: Walt Disney, Steven Spielberg, and John Lasseter, and these are three exceptionally creative and integrity driven people. I cannot see Michael Bay added to this list.There is no doubt that Transformers: The Ride will offer an immerse supplement experience to the film, and I am excited to ride it, with Michael Bay's approval or not.

Unhappiest Place On Earth: Bad Parenting Ruins The Magic

While cruising the world wide web this week I stumbled across a small, yet post-inspiring article. On October 20th, a five-year-old autistic boy visiting Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America was separated from his parents, climbed a fence, and got onto a roller coaster track. Fortunately, he was rescued by an employee before any harm could come to him at the hands of the speeding coaster train. Lost children are not an uncommon phenomenon in any crowded public space. In fact, an article from Indy's Child Parenting Magazine found a report which "noted that over a 12-month period, more than 27 percent of all families that visited an amusement park lost one of their children while they were there—that's one out of every three children." And that was only counting reported incidents, who knows how many small isolated missing children crisises happen unreported. Not all of these incidents can be attributed to poor parenting. Angie Wagner at LoraineCountyMoms.com confirms that even the best laid plans for child safety can go awry, however, I am of the belief that the majority of lost child incidents are due to some negligence on the part of a parent or guardian. Although losing a child for a few minutes is not the worst thing in the world, it is part of a much more disturbing trend, an almost unavoidable plague that affects every theme park trip at some point: poor parenting and the disgusting behavior exhibited by rude children and their clueless parents. These crimes against the courteous theme park goer can ruin the fun for everyone around them. It baffles and disturbs me how often I have witnessed displays of human disregard and sometimes cruelty on my visits. Despite being places of joy, excitement, and family bonding, theme parks often bring out the worst in people.

There is no more obvious place where this abhorrent behavior is displayed than in the queue. The afternoon sun on a crowded summer weekend can do funny things to people in a one hundred-minute switchback line wait for a three-minute ride experience. This is the breeding ground of the most heinous theme park crimes, the most common and least serious of which is line cutting. A series of moms with four-year-olds hanging off them squeezing by offering the justification of "my husband is just up ahead" is enough to drive one insane. Spot saving is unacceptable theme park behavior and it teaches children that they are better than all who have waited appropriately and put in the time to get the reward of the ride at the end of the line. This is merely an annoyance though, the behavior can get much worse. Some parents seem to be driven to the brink of lunacy by their restless children while waiting in lines. In a recent blog post, Children Go Ape Shit for Nemo, Eric Ambler writes about an hour long battle he witnessed between a mother and her continually wondering off four-year-old in line. At one point during this incident the mother literally crams Cheerios into the child's mouth and moves his mouth in a chewing motion. In another instance he describes a "grotesque" game of tug-of-war in which the mother tries to pull her toddler off of a guard rail he is clinging too. When they finally got to the attraction, the child fell asleep during the ride. This incident proves that it might be smart for a parent to research an attraction and consider their child's age while weighing the cost of the wait time versus entertainment value before offering a "grotesque" display of poor parenting and fellow line mate disregard.

By far the most disgusting behavior I have witnessed in theme park lines are what I will call the "my ride" parents (pictured, left). Mike Collins offers an excellent description of a "my ride" parent incident in his recent post, Tales from Orlando: A Mother Worse Than the Yeti, on the Coaster Radio Blog. He describes a situation in which a mother's selfish desire to go on a thrill ride is more important than her child's fear of the ride while showing complete disregard for the hundreds in line with them. For an hour the mother dragged her screaming and kicking child through the line and at one point yells at her child "YOU ARE NOT GOING TO RUIN MY RIDE!!!" This is just sick. Not only is this an abhorrent way for a mother to act toward her child, but it surely made the hour wait extremely unpleasant for everyone around them. Collins jokingly suggests that theme parks should offer child protective services, I agree, and not in a joking sense. Most parks do offer a parent swap service where one adult goes on the ride while one stays with the child and then they swap. I would encourage parents to use this service if they really want to go on a ride, or simply not go on the ride at all. Child torture of this kind reprehensible and should be illegal. Not only does a display like this ruin the experience for those in line, but it is a quick way to show everyone how horrible of a parent you are.

Though queues are often the site of the most frequent and disturbing incidents, terrible behavior can usually be seen all over. Everything from stroller road rage to parents unwilling to remove their crying child from a show can put a damper on a theme park visit. I have had people stand directly in front of me at a show while I was in a wheelchair. I witnessed a child being carried by a father kick a man in the head and the father never gave a second glance back. I have experienced countless line cuts and parents yelling and hitting their children (and vise-versa). And it gets worse the longer the vacation. Author Dawn Meehan theorizes in a post on her blog, Because I Said So, that bad behavior increases steadily with each consecutive day spent at a theme park. How can it be that places of fun so often turn into a battle ground? What happened to those nice vintage 1960's families in their matching sweaters and Mickey ears? The simple argument is that parenting has just gone down hill the last few decades producing rude, ungrateful, selfish, and spoiled children who expect everything. I think this argument is too easy. Although I am sure that this is a valid cause of many theme park criminals, I believe that the rising costs of vacations is also a major contributor to unacceptable behavior. Between 1980 and 2008 the cost of one day admission to a Disney park increased from eight dollars to seventy-five dollars. When people pay a lot they expect a lot. They want to get their money's worth by cramming as many attractions in as possible and if things are not going perfectly they are easily upset. Disappointment is inevitable when expectations are so high. There is a reason why one of the most common things yelled by a parent to their child is, "Do you know how much this vacation costs?!" I believe this is why theme parks can bring out the worst in people. To the perpetrators of these crimes, I would suggest resting when one is tired especially with young children, enjoy the moment without anticipation of the next thing, remember that not everything will go perfectly, and realize that most people paid the same amount for their admission and deserve a respectful environment. If anything, common courtesy should be more present because everyone is there to have a good time and it is really the atmosphere of happiness and fun that makes theme parks special. It kills me to see horrid behavior at the places that I love. Sadly, this behavior will never being eliminated, but maybe it can be kept to a minimum with a little more respect on behalf of the theme park goers everywhere. Perhaps I am nostalgic for a McCarthyian family fantasy (pictured, right) that has never existed, but I just want everyone to be happy, respectful, and have a good time.

Beyond the Queue: A Ride Through the Online Theme Park Community

This week, I explored the web in search of quality theme park related websites and blogs in an effort to gain a greater understanding of the online theme park community and enhance the reader's experience at this blog. In this post I will offer a short critique of twenty exceptional theme park news sites, online guides, and fan blogs using the Webby and IMSA criteria for evaluation. Content, structure, visual design, functionality, interactivity, depth, authority, and overall experience will be considered in my assessment. All of these sites can be found in my linkroll (right) in addition to this post. The first site I will address, as it is unique in my findings, is the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions website. The IAAPA (logo, left) "represents more than 4,500 facility, supplier, and individual members from more than 90 countries, including most amusement parks and attractions in the United States." IAAPA's excellent website is extremely comprehensive in its offering of information for industry professionals, however, its weakness is interactivity. It is a great source for information, but that is it. Next up is Webby Award finalist, Theme Park Insider. The site's main attractions are the reader ratings and reviews that help travelers plan their next theme park vacation. Despite the site's usefulness, there are too many advertisements that blend in with the site's substance interfering with easy navigation. Theme Parks Online is another excellent guide site that offers a unique interactive "virtual tour" of the parks which includes photos of each ride, restaurant, shop, and attraction. You can even change the year in which you "visit" the park. Because the site is so interactive, loading times are longer than desired. Also, the site is still a work in progress, so many parks' "virtual tours" are still in development. Ultimate Rollercoaster is a unique guide site that focuses on roller coasters and thrill rides. It contains extensive reviews and stats for coasters across the country as well as a nice feature chronicling the history of roller coasters across the 20th century. This great site has very little weaknesses, I might suggest enhancing the park guide section to compliment the coaster section. Moving on from the guide sites, we have the news and community sites.

My favorite theme park news site is Screamscape: The Ultimate Guide to Theme Parks. The name is deceiving as it is not really a guide so much as it is a daily listing of theme park related news, constructions reports, and rumors. The visual design could definitely be enhanced, it is very minimalist, but the quality and expansive daily updates more than make for its shortcomings. Coaster Buzz is a visually pleasing and easy to navigate site offering the latest roller coaster news as well as providing stats and basic information for roller coasters and parks across the world. Though nicely presented, the site's information could be a bit more comprehensive. For the Disney fanatic, there is Laughing Place, an expansive site "Connecting Disney Fans Across the World." News, park guides, blogs, special features, games, podcasts, a radio, and much more make up this diverse site. While the content is great, it could definitely benefit from a better organization of information and links to keep the reader from getting overwhelmed. Theme Park Review and Westcoaster are two community sites with the main feature of an active, high traffic, discussion forum. Both sites also provides trip reports, photo updates, and videos. Theme Park Review also contains news updates and park reviews, but has a bland visual design. Westcoaster, on the other hand, has excellent visual design and includes original blog entries, but could be improved with news updates and park reviews. The two sites could learn from each other's strengths and weaknesses and become two superior web destinations. Another unique site is Coaster Fanatics which contains a detailed roller coaster database and allows users to rate and keep track of their favorite coasters (user rating profile pictured, right). This is an excellently constructed site and I see little room for improvement except for the fact that it's news archive appears to stop at March 2008 and is in need of updating. Thrill Network is another diverse community site with a forum, news update, park database, and the unique features of an industry job listings section and a feature where members can share virtual roller coasters designed in programs such as Roller Coaster Tycoon. This is another site, though, that seems to have too much going on and could benefit from cleaner visual design and better organization. Bordering on news site and blog is About.Com: Theme Parks where the writer, Arthur Levine, offers his own commentary on industry news. I commented on this blog in a previous post. The strength of this site is Levine's personal commentary, everything else could use improvement, especially the structure and interactivity. Mouse Planet is a nice site offering basic Disney park guides, news, trip reports, blogs, a podcast, a forum, and more. The visual design is bland and the pages load slowly, but the jewel of this site is the large blog section offering original articles written by a diverse team of industry professionals and enthusiasts. That will lead us in to a series of outstanding blogs I discovered while searching the web.

The first blog I found is Coaster Radio Blog. It is the companion blog to the internet's first theme park related podcast. Though aesthetically pleasing and covering a wide variety of theme park related topics, many of the posts are a bit too short and lacking in substance. Less visually appealing is Jim Hill Media. This blog offers excellent, original, mostly Disney related posts. Jim Hill must have inside Disney connections because the blog is often first to report significant Disney news. The Disney Obsession is one of my new favorite blogs. The focus of this site is not news based. The writer, a self-proclaimed "Disney obsessive compulsive," passionately posts on personal observations about the Disney parks which makes for an interesting and often emotional read. Another excellent Disney blog is, appropriately titled, The Disney Blog, a source of Disney news and information for fans by fans. Despite being timely and informative, there are too many advertisements on this site for my taste and the posts do not promote reader discussion. Rounding out the Disney related blogs is Re-Imagineering. This is a unique forum where Disney and Pixar professionals discuss imagineering missteps and solutions. The posts are often controversial and lead to passionate debates on the site. Thrill Holder is a blog where writer/park enthusiast, Will Holder, offers his unique commentary on the theme park industry. The posts are excellent, however, it is not updated with frequency, in fact, the last post is from June. The last blog I found is the award-winning The Coaster Critic. The Coaster Critic offers his opinion on recent theme park news while also providing reviews of parks and coasters. It is a well-designed blog, however, I think the posts could be a bit longer and meatier. Overall, I hope this will be a useful supplement to my blog and will peak readers' further interest in the online theme park community.

A Tale of Two Parks: Heathenism Fails, Jesus to Rise Again

The past week saw two significant, and oppositional, developments in the amusement industry. The first being the announcement that a religious amusement park, Bible Park USA, is to be built in Lebanon, Tennessee. The park, brain-child of Israeli-born American, Ronen Paldi, seeks to create a living, educational, and entertaining Biblical environment for guests (attraction concept art pictured, below) while fueling the area's tourism business and local economy. Paldi is confident in his park considering faith-based tourism is on the rise, according to the World Religious Travel Association. On the opposite end of the amusement news spectrum, like an omen for the success of a Bible-themed park, Myrtle Beach's newest attraction, Hard Rock Park, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Friday. Hard Rock Park, which opened in June to positive reviews but low attendance, owes over $343 million and has closed for the remainder of the 2008 season, hoping to reopen next April after a reorganization process. What does this ironic twist of fate mean? If America's theme-park goers are not ready for a park based on the glamorous lifestyle of sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll, maybe they are ready for the more spiritual option of a Jesus approved park? Is heathenism on the decline and piety on the rise? Are theme parks the appropriate venue for this debate to be playing out? This week I probed the blogosphere to explore the dichotomy of the two parks and uncover reasons for these two developments in the theme park world. Fascinated by this news, I chose to offer my personal opinions on two blogs, one regarding each park. The first post I commented on Soft Economy Crumbles Hard Rock: Myrtle Beach Park Declares Bankruptcy, Vows to Reopen in 2009 is written by Arthur Levine at About.com, a travel writer who specializes in the amusement industry. Levine offers possible reasons for Hard Rock Park's surprising closure. The second post, No Bible Park in My Community, which passionately discusses the sacreligiousness of a Bible-themed amusement park, is written by Michael Carpenter, pastor of Matthew's Table church in Lebanon, Tennessee. Carpenter is, understandably, disgusted by the prospect of this park coming to his community. I have conveniently provided my comments to these posts below as well as to the authors' blogs.

"Soft Economy Crumbles Hard Rock: Myrtle Beach Park Declares Bankruptcy, Vows to Reopen in 2009"
Comment:
Thank you for your pertinent post regarding your take on Hard Rock Park's unfortunate closure. I definitely agree that the high ticket prices and lack of advertising were factors in their failed inaugural season. As a resident of Los Angeles I would have had no idea the park even existed if I was not such a park-aholic like yourself and followed the park's development via theme park enthusiast websites. I have pondered though if Hard Rock's failure has more cultural reasoning behind it. One possible theory I have come up with is the popularity of classic rock. The park's target guests are, obviously, families, but how familiar are Led Zeppelin and The Moody Blues to 9-year-old girls? It seems to me that in our current world of Miley Cyrus's and Zak Efron's that a park themed to classic rock would have a somewhat limited appeal. I would suggest Hard Rock consider adding a more contemporary spin to the park when it reopens. It seems to me that this park would have had more success in the early nineties when classic rock was making a comeback with the Wayne's World generation. In a past post on my blog, I consider the cultural implications of the new phenomenon known as "celebration vacations." This new trend could have also contributed to Hard Rock's failure. Is Hard Rock Park the place for birthdays, anniversaries, and reunions? It seems more like an entertainment for the locals rather than a travel destination. From what I have read about the lack of rides and attractions at the park, it is not enough alone to bring people into South Carolina who were not already going there or are the most dedicated of theme park enthusiasts. Undoubtedly, you have heard of the announcement on the 18th of the new religious-themed park, Bible Park USA, being built in Lebanon, Tennessee. I am wondering about your reaction to this park. I found it ironic that less than a week after the news of the Bible park being built, Hard Rock Park announced its closure. The failure of the "heathenism" that is a sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll influenced theme park, can only be a good omen for a Christian values based one. This alone brings up tons of cultural implications. With the economy in the state that it is, it does not seem like a good time to build a theme park, but maybe something as dramatically different as Bible Park USA, built in the heart of America's "Bible Belt," can be a success. Do you think the Midwest is ready for this attraction? Orlando's religious theme park, The Holy Land Experience, has had its controversies and financial problems since its opening in 2001, but it has never closed for an entire season. Faith-based tourism is not to be underestimated. Personally, I would only visit a Bible based theme park to witness the absurdity of it and am much more interested in going to Hard Rock Park. Considering my love of classic rock and the positive reviews from you as well as others, I truly hope that it reopens so I can do just that.

"No Bible Park in My Community'
Comment:
Thank you for your very passionate protest post against Bible Park USA. I sympathize with many of your sentiments and, given my experiences with church, must agree whole-heartily with C.S. Lewis's quote, “There exists in every church that sooner or later works against the very purpose for which it came into existence.” However, I am not sure it applies to this amusement park. Although I grew up in a religious family and agree that this theme park is a terrible idea, I would like to address you today as a scholar of popular culture and offer a response to the question you pose in your post, "where in making disciples does an amusement park fit in?" As you have stated in your post, consumerism is the dominant system that has evolved in today's corporate America, and perhaps religion needs to evolve in order to stay relevant in an ever-changing society. The modern ways that Christians experience their faith are essential in order for them to understand it, or perhaps they would just lose faith all together. A religious-themed amusement park is the next step in multi-media influenced religious consumption. Many Americans know nothing but consumerism, so this is a way they can experience and understand their religion within the constructs of today's society. Perhaps this park will help provide people with a better understanding of the lessons of the Bible. If one person's faith is confirmed or a Christian gains a better understanding of their religion via the park's attractions, than would that not be better than nothing? Today, people need reassurance, that extends into every aspect of life including religion. I realize this goes against the Christian aspect of faith, but people are just that, people, and people have doubts. Perhaps this park will be a vehicle for people to be reassured in their faith. If it is a success than it will prove that people are interested in consuming something more than what Disney has to offer. It is possible that the park will not be a "fake environment" as you suggest, but as real of an experience as the guest perceives it to be. Ultimately, whether Bible Park USA is sacrilegious or not is left up to the owners and individuals. If the owners have good intentions for the park and guests can explore their own faith by visiting it, than I believe there is a place in this country for it. Personally, however, I will not be making the journey to Lebanon to experience this attraction.

Celebration Vacations: What Does it Mean for Disney?

With the holiday season quickly approaching, theme parks are rolling out the promotional campaigns for 2009, the most significant of which is Disney's new "What Will You Celebrate?" campaign. At a rare and rumor-steeped announcement in New York City on Thursday, Jay Rusalo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, revealed their big plans for next year. The question-posing campaign's goal is to encourage families to celebrate significant events in their lives at the Disney resorts. Everything from birthdays, to anniversaries, to reunions, to personal triumphs are invited to the year long party. To facilitate this all-inclusive festival Disney will be offering a number of personalized add-on services for guests to customize their individual celebrations such as the one-of-a-kind cake pictured, right. Additionally, they will be debuting new online tools to help families plan their personalized visit in detail. To top it all off, in a historic move, Disney, a company which rarely has park admission discounts, will be offering free admission to anyone on their birthday. Disney's press release states that this campaign is the result of a nationwide survey revealing "that 70 percent of U.S. leisure travelers have taken a vacation with the primary purpose of marking a special occasion in their lives – a 'celebration vacation.'" While the post 9/11 world and economic depression may be causes for the emergence of this new trend of "celebration vacations," the question is, will the people come to party? The success of Disney's 2009 campaign is dubious given its unprecedented nature.

On the subject of the "celebration vacation," I would like to consider if its emergence is due to more that just financial circumstances. People want justification when spending a large sum of money, and a day at Disney, let alone a Disney vacation, is no cheap affair. Is simply taking a vacation or having a day of fun not enough to justify the cost? Maybe there is a feeling that people do not deserve to take a vacation without justification. After all, vacations do not exactly fall in line with the American work ethic. Americans are expected to work hard every weekday. The multitude of drugs available to help people accomplish their daily tasks as if they were healthy makes even sickness a moot excuse for absense. Taking a break is almost unpatriotic. Vacations are seen as a reward or privilege, rather than a pleasure to be taken advantage of for one to relax and spend time with those they love. The reasons for the celebration vacation's emergence must be more than financial, especially since Disney's myriad of new guest/event specific services such as family portraits, personalized souvenirs, decorated or themed hotel rooms, private cruises, and in-park birthday parties are going to cost a hefty additional fee.

An interesting aspect of this campaign is its mentality that guests are only going to visit the park once. It has a "well-they're-only-gonna-come-here-once-so-lets-milk-them-for-all-they're-worth" philosophy behind it. All of these personalized, occasion-specific features are cool, but they do not encourage multiple visits. Attendance should be the biggest concern of a theme park ad campaign. That is exactly what Disney's current three-year long "Year of a Million Dreams" promotion encouraged by giving away many prizes every day. It was successful considering Disney park attendance has increased steadily each year since 2003. Comparing the success of these two campaigns will be interesting when it is all said and done.

In comparison to other theme parks' new campaigns, Disney is definitely weak. Six Flags has chosen to hype up the 2009 season with a series of announcements regarding new attractions in all of their parks such as the Buccaneer Battle, an interactive water ride, at Six Flags Great America and the Glow in the Park parade at Six Flags Over Texas. Disney's only major new attraction for 2009 is The American Idol Experience at Disney's Hollywood Studios park in Orlando. It is not exactly the broad appeal attraction that will bring in the crowds. Where are the new rides? Rides and attractions are the core of the theme park industry. I know those are what keep me coming back. Disney seems to be neglecting this important park aspect. Granted, the innovative Toy Story Mania attraction opened this summer in both Anaheim and Orlando, but that was 2008's major draw. New ride hype should not be underestimated. Disney has always been more than just an amusement park, and these new custom services are a great addition, but making them the focus of their entire promotional campaign is underwhelming, especially with the build up of the mysterious New York announcement.

The most disappointing aspect of this campaign for many Disney fans, including myself, is passionately expressed by John Frost on The Disney Blog, a blog maintained by and for Disney fans. The source of this disappointment is the fact that Disney used to have fun promotions that tied the films, parks, and parades together. True cross-marketing experiences with exciting and inspirational themes and taglines. Instead of an incendiary "Where the Adventure Begins!" we are asked a question "What Will You Celebrate?" The most disturbing thing, Frost writes, is that "Disney is equating themselves with the local Chuck-e-Cheese. Little Johnny’s having his Birthday? Where do we want to celebrate? How about Chuck-e-Cheese? Or maybe Disneyland?...Disney isn’t in the same category as local options, and they shouldn’t act like it either." Whether it is because of the recent Disney film releases, a lack of communication between the films and parks divisions, or for some other reason, one of Disney's biggest draws has ceased to exist. These promotions were a huge part of the Disney magic. 1994's "The Lion King Celebration" (promotional image pictured, left) is a perfect example of these exciting campaigns. It featured an extravagant and technologically astounding parade that brought the film to life in the park. The Lion King became more than just a movie. An innovative and seamless integration of films, music, shows, characters, stories, and attractions in to one experience of perfect synergy is what has raised Disney to its status as the number one name in theme parks, vacations, and family entertainment.

The "What Will You Celebrate?" campaign undermines the fact that Disney is larger than life. It is more than just a place to go for a party. The real draw of a Disney park on a psychological level, is that it creates an illusion of escape from ordinary life, it is a fantasy world designed to let the visitor forget everything else and just enjoy. This promotion breaks the magic barrier and brings Disney out of its fantasy world and into our everyday world. That is not what Disney should be about. Needless to say, I feel that returning to promotions like those of the 80's and 90's, along with some great new shows and rides, would be a more effective marketing campaign for keeping guests coming back again and again.

Disney has not been reaching its full potential as of late and the fans' nostalgia for a more exciting time is catching up to them. The "What Will You Celebrate?" campaign is not a step in the right direction, but it will be interesting to see what kind of crowd it draws in next year. Free birthday admission is definitely going to be a big factor. If the "celebration vacation" trend continues Six Flags and Universal may not be far behind in offering custom services too, but let us hope they can come up with more-than-lackluster promotions in the future and remember that great attractions are what bring guests back. The theme park and vacation industries are constantly evolving, who knows what ideas will roll out next. Only time will tell.