CoasterBuzz Podcast #79 posted

Posted | Contributed by Jeff

Jeff, Pat, Mike and Greg review this week's news in the amusement industry.

Stadiums and parking and Cedar Fair. Never thought they'd be in the business of disputing that kind of project.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk turns 100. We think boardwalk parks are a uniquely American experience.
Six Flags New England gets their way and makes off-property parking more expensive for lot owners.
Disneyland gets its day at the polls to dispute the zoning changes that would permit low-income housing in the "amusement district."
Spending will go up slightly in US parks, but the Asian markets will grow 5% every year for the next several.
The accident at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom seems so random. Is it something that will have far-reaching effects in the industry?
Gonch says using retirees as employees is a trade off. On one hand, they're slower, but they're a lot more friendly than the average teen or college kid.
He loves Silver Dollar and Celebration City.
Jeff shares a story about an encounter with a retired worker at Universal. People go to Florida not to die, but to live.
Mike did the Q-bot experience at Six Flags Great America, and liked it because of the large group and the kids.
Jeff and Gonch remain unimpressed with food operations in all of the Cedar Fair parks they've been to.
Lower height requirements make for a better family experience.

Gerstlauer trains are lighter than PTCs, and a LOT lighter than the Premier trains.

A couple comments:

First off the Niners are still playing at candlestick and haven't have a new stadium in decades. Yes, the stadium would be in the parking lot for Great America, but considering Great America closes after Halloween I don't think it would be that big of an issue. Also from what I understand Cedar Fair does not own the parking lot land, it is owned by the city of Santa Clara.

The Santa Cruz boardwalk is in somewhat of a urban area. Santa Cruz is about 1/2 hour away from silicon valley. It does have one of the best wooden coasters I have even been on.

The Photo Pass in Orlando is at WDW. Disney World is the first place I had ever seen it that is why I remember it. I agree really nice. However I don't remember if it was Sony or Nikon.

This was my first time listening to the podcast. I was very impressed with the presentation. I will definitely listen again.

I work at Mrs. Knotts chicken dinner restraunt and it is the most popular restraunt in the chian without a doubt. The food there is not very good looking most of the time I would not eat it my self but people for somereason love it :/

Alot of times its better all around looks/taste/quality

I also noticed the slow food service at WOF during Coaster Mayhem. (Except the catered lunch. The food was all ready to go when we got there.) The last couple years I have gone I have been there on really slow days so there is no lines anywhere anyways thus that being the first real experience of there food service sucking in quite some time for me.

However the Restaurant next to Splash Mountain at WDW Magic Kingdom is quite possibly the slowest theme park restaurant I have ever been to. It's one of those places you stand in line 5 minutes to order then you stand in line another 30 minutes to get your food. Well since they don't let you refill yourself there was a guy who ordered right before us and only got 2 large Diet Cokes and had to wait 30 minutes for them. On top of that they weren't freshly poured drinks they filled them drinks right away when they came back and they got to sit there with the Ice melting in the 90 degree heat making all drinks watered down and nasty.

That was the only Theme Park Dining experience that I have to complain about well in Orlando back in May. The worse dining experience the whole trip was at a Ponderosa but I will not get into that.

*** This post was edited by TonyBlackjack 6/27/2007 11:59:37 AM ***

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