CoasterBuzz Podcast #184 posted
Posted
Jeff, Gonch and Carrie review this week's news in the amusement industry.
- Carrie gets first hand exposure to the train wreck that is Conneaut Lake Park. She found a real mess, and almost no visitors. She isn't convinced that there's any vision or plan for the long term. Jeff agrees and believes this is why throwing money at it is not a good plan. See Carrie's pictures from 1974 and 1980, as well as today here and here.
- Local historical society in Cleveland has plans to resurrect the Euclid Beach carousel, and the plan includes an endowment to keep it running indefinitely. This is preservation done right.
- Gonch does the sweet behind-the-scenes tour at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and thinks it's worth every penny. He'd even pay more. See his photos here.
- The top 100 roller coasters are ranked in the CoasterBuzz 100. Jeff talks about how the list is generated.
- Six people die in an amusement park simulator accident in China, and we know practically nothing about it. A bizarre animation appears from a Chinese news source.
- Captain Eo comes back to Epcot. Meh.
- Freestyle Music Park is so poor they can't afford to show up to court.
- Power outage at Kings Island on July 4 was apparently handled poorly in terms of compensating guests. The culture of non-empowerment comes up again.
- Jeff kind of disses L.A., but mostly because he's uncertain about infant travel. He'll miss the SoCal parks.
- Off-topic: Wanting to create scandal in Las Vegas.
- Yet another ticket scam in Orlando, but this one had an inside job element to it.
- Orlando theme park discounts: When will it stop, and is it an indication of better economic times?
- Help us raise money for Give Kids The World, Coasting For Kids! Join us at any of the 11 Cedar Fair parks on July 29, 2010, and ride for a good cause.
- Check out the event list on the CoasterBuzz Club page. Got a ticket for Holiday World? Come to the Fall Affair for a couple of bucks extra!
- You can get the latest headlines on CoasterBuzz from the Twitter. Follow us @coasterbuzz.
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Link: CoasterBuzz Podcast
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Excellent podcast, guys. I appreciate the way Carrie came across in the Conneaut section as understanding how some people do have an attachment to the park. It was great to see her photos and compare her point of view to that of my friends who visited the park just one day later. The photos really are heartbreaking. The wire hanging down...just...why?
Oh, and Carrie...the one photo overlooking the park from Blue Streak? On-Ride photography? Shame! ;)
Thanks, Kevin. :)
As far as the on-ride photography goes, that was a different time, you know? Kids weren't expected to ride in car seats through age 12. Pacifiers and teething rings were made of lead paint. And often the annual school field trips were made to the Museum of Knives and Fire. ;) But make no mistake... I gave my mom a stern lecture. :)
"If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins." --- Benjamin Franklin
You went to the Museum of Knives and Fire? All I got to visit was the Palace of Running With Scissors ;(
I miss Jarts. They had the most satisfying thud when they landed in the heavy clay Ohio soil.
Jeff - Editor - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
It's dismaying hearing Carrie's description of Conneaut. I wish, I wish...but so it goes. :(
My author website: mgrantroberts.com
Jeff said:
I miss Jarts. They had the most satisfying thud when they landed in the heavy clay Ohio soil.
I preferred the sound that was made when they landed in my brother's foot, but then again, I was a disturbed child.
I also miss Jarts. We had several sets, played with them often (occasionally in unapproved ways) and somehow nobody ever got hurt.
Do you realize that kids today who are too big for kiddie rides and well past tall enough to ride any coaster and even drive their own carnival bumper cars are still expected to sit in kiddie seats in the car?
As for on-ride photography...I've done it at two different parks already this season, always with the full knowledge of the ride operator. Not all parks are as paranoid as has become common.
Eagerly awaiting a chance to listen to the new podcast...!
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
/X\ _ *** Respect rides. They do not respect you. ***
/XXX\ /X\ /X\_ _ /X\__ _ _ _____
/XXXXX\ /XXX\ /XXXX\_ /X\ /XXXXX\ /X\ /X\ /XXXXX
_/XXXXXXX\__/XXXXX\/XXXXXXXX\_/XXX\_/XXXXXXX\__/XXX\_/XXX\_/\_/XXXXXX
The last year Blue Streak was operating, I shot half a roll of film (yes, I know, 'film', it's an antiquated technology, go look it up sometime for laughs and giggles) over the space of three rides. I asked one of the ride ops if it was okay beforehand, and he indicated he couldn't care less.
My author website: mgrantroberts.com
There are many parks that don't seem to care, Disney being the biggest of those. I asked if I could take video of my son while on the Barnstormer and they sort-of thought it was weird that I even asked.
Hi
How on earth would you get what is on that "film" onto the internets? lol
Seriously, keep that footage close, because Blue Streak might not make it's comeback. I'm sure in a decade or so, people will want to see that.
-Travis
www.youtube.com/TSVisits
Disney has absolutely no problem video taping on any of their rides. My dad has a complete (incredibly shaky) POV of BTMRR and Splash Mountain cerca 1999.
Jarts?!?!?!? Wow, so many great memories. We use to play Jarts into the night. We'd put a flashlight in the "target area" to keep going. In hindsight, perhaps it wasn't the best idea.
I'm not sure. The sale of them became illegal, which is why they stopped selling them to begin with. I'm not sure about resale in places like eBay and such. Though I imagine if you do see them, that they wouldn't be cheap. I didn't see any jarts for sale. But, there are plenty of T-Shirts.
884 Coasters, 34 States, 7 Countries
http://www.rollercoasterfreak.com My YouTube
Yeah, I just went searching. I'd seen them at garage sales in the past, but I never really thought about buying them. Now that I have a house, and a yard, I want a set of them.
I guess I'll just have to settle for the soft ones.
They can't be too difficult to make. Provided you can find the harder-to-manufacture parts somewhere.
Apparently, only the sale of "assembled" lawn darts is illegal.
:)
Brandon | Facebook
Woah. Holy expensive. You know, I know someone with the ability to machine parts. I'd bet those weighted ends could be easily fabricated. :)
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