Welcome to Halloween Haunt 2012, only on weekends at Kings Island. 
The International Street fountains never looked more ominous. When the breeze is right, the mist and fog combine to make the brightest street lights dim.
The Fright Feast Meal offers Montgomery Inn Pulled Pork BBQ, Grilled Chicken Breasts, and lots of fixins, including Potato Salad, desert, and drinks. A great way to fortify yourself for an evening of being scared. You need lots of energy to shriek loudly.
This interesting prop lit up with a moving face, very creepy greets you as you arrive for dinner!
The lights of summer have been replaced with something a little more subtle, and combined with the fog, the whole park is transformed.
This poor soul didn't know which way to turn, but it sure is a neat costume.
The repurposing of the "Crypt" building is new for 2012. Some parts of the old theming were kept, but alas, not the old video screen. Beware of the mix of human looking props and actual scaractors lurking in the shadows, it is you they have been waiting, for years and years.
Here is some of Tomb Raider's theming, but with new lighting and props.
Here you can participate in Madame Fatale's Dead Inn Feast, where you can experience excellent dining while being served by the creepiest wait staff ever. After you eat, Madame Fatale or one of her minions will guide you through the Cavern of Terror.
Urgent Scare is enough to terrorize anyone who hates hospitals and doctors. Something has gone terribly wrong with the treatment of the plague patients here, and you must get out before you too become infected.
The spirits of Phantom Theatre reappear annually for Haunt, but now they are a little bit more ghostly. Good to see old friends again.
Even the Easter Bunny is scary in Holiday Horror. He, along with the symbols of many other celebratory days throughout the year, take a sinister turn in this maze.
The full moon has all the citizens of the Wolf Pack howling, and after seeing the larger than life props inside, you will be also as you flee in terror back to the light. Utilizing the old Son of Beast station, there is a spot where you can get a souvenir photo taken to show your friends how brave you are.
The Graveyard Shift show features may rock 'n roll classics, like "We are a monster band" and "Abracadabra." A fun place to rest before striding forth once again into the night, only to be scared all over again.
Here "Patch" gets his Love Shock during the creation process.
Hot Blooded proves that you need to be careful who you bite and who you let bite you. Deliciously graphic, if you don't like blood, this show isn't for you.
Blood Drums starts off with powder on their instruments, and everything is set up right in the middle of Action Zone. These explosive percussion performers show that music is where you look for it, and they obviously spent a lot of time in an industrial junkyard, having kegger parties.
So here is just a taste of all the ghouish fun available at Kings Island during the Haunt. In the words of the Graveyard Shift, "Come on ghouls, lets get it on," an go to Kings Island for one last blast of Halloween fun this year. Thanks to the PR Department, the many scaractors, and everyone else at Kings Island who helped us bring you this story.
8 Ekim 2012 Pazartesi
Scott and Carol Present Kings Island's Haunt
A Closer Look at the New Justice League Ride
Earlier this week we took a look at the new Justice League Alien Invasion 3D ride that just opened at Warner Bros Movie World on the Gold Coast. Today we have some more coverage of the interactive dark ride, with some fantastic photos provided by Sally Corporation, the designers of the new attraction.
As guests queue for the attraction they experience this preshow area where they are briefed on their upcoming mission: destroy Starro the Conqueror and his mind invading spores at all costs.
A cyborg animatronic greets everyone in the load area, while Batman is beamed in for the briefing from the Justice League watchtower, located deep in outer space.
Once it is their turn to ride, guests board their vehicles, seen above with the briefing area located behind them. Equipped with their own blasters, they head out on their mission to help defeat Starro. Individual scores are kept on a panel in front of them, as you can see in this photo.
This is a close up of the cyborg character located in the attraction. I had to slim down the original file, as it was 40 or so megs, but even in that ginormous detail I thought for a while that it was a live person dressed up in the ride. That's just how high quality the figures are that are produced by Sally Corp!
Once inside the main ride building guests get to see just how affected the world has been by Starro and their minion of spore stars. Here we see one scene (not in show lighting, same for the image below) that features some of the characters found throughout the ride. The starro spores are leeching onto everyone and anyone, even that cute dog!
We will end with a close up shot of Supergirl, who effortlessly holds back a crumbling wall to save the lives of passing riders. Nice!
Justice League Alien Invasion 3D looks like a high quality attraction, and honestly I'm a bit jealous it is located so far away. I hope a U.S. park gives Sally the chance to produce something this great for them, and soon!
All images are copyright Sally Corporation, and used with permission.
Magic Springs Removing X-Coaster + 2013 Plans
Looks like we have yet another ride removal for the 2013 season, this time the X-Coaster at Magic Springs & Crystal Falls, located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Fortunately for the fans of the park they're also announcing that a "multi-million dollar water park expansion" will take place next season.
I first saw the news on Twitter, above, but they park has also added the news to their official website.
The park isn't ready to give full details on the 2013 expansion, but promise them in coming weeks. Steve Honeycutt, the park’s general manager said that the water park addition “will be the fourth major construction project in the water park since 2008, and with triple-digit summers in Arkansas, we sure need it. Our guests tell us all the time one of their favorite ways to beat the heat is in our water park so we’re adding something big they can all enjoy.”
 |
| © Magic Springs & Crystal Falls |
There's about ten or so of these rides around the world, and several have been built in the past two years - so there seems to be a market for them. Perhaps Magic Springs, who is owned by CNL Properties and managed by AMP, will find it easy to locate a buyer?
Wet 'n' Wild Coming Back to Las Vegas
The return of Wet'n'Wild to Las Vegas! Many folks are quite pleased about the news, and even better the plan for the park is already well underway - to the point where the park is actually already being built.
Located in Summerlin, the water park will actually be a renamed and re-branded Splash Canyon water park, which was announced some time ago. That park was slated to open this past Summer, but delays had it pegged for a 2013 opening. Now re-branded as Wet'n'Wild Las Vegas, the park will be run by Village Roadshow, a large media brand out of Australia who owns and operates several theme and water parks.
The new park will cost $50 million to construct, and feature 25 different slides when it opens next Memorial Day. Several of the slides are quite modern, including a Rattler and Constrictor, both from WhiteWater West.
Other attractions include a massive wave pool, lazy river, water play structure, and other towers including racing and high thrill plunge slides. For a full preview, check out this flyover video that the park has released.
Village Roadshow also has water parks in Arizona and Hawaii.
From The Vault: MGM Grand Adventures 1993
 |
| Promotional artwork for the MGM Grand. |
As we well know the development included a theme park - MGM Grand Adventures - which long time readers will know holds a special place in my heart, and I've written about it extensively. As a result of all that research and writing, I got my hands on a commemorative book that was published when the resort opened, and it is filled with some great facts and photos. It's been sitting on my shelf for some time now, but the Vault seems like a great place to share some of its wealth.
Needless to say none of these photos are mine, and I'm publishing them so that others can relive a bit of the park's memory.
MGM Grand Adventures was designed by Duell Corporation, the company who has created many of the world's most popular theme parks. Above is a shot of the park under construction, with several rides already enclosed and other sections much further behind. Paul Steelman Limited worked in conjunction with Duell as the park's architect and interior designer.The concept art for the park was tediously turned into 2,300 working drawings in order to bring it to life, then workers turned those drawings into 130,000 square feet of reality. The themed areas were based off of the streets of the Old West, New York, New Orleans, Europe, Casablanca, Asia and Mexico.
Make sure to click through on this image to see more of the detail of the 33 acre park under construction. In the lower corner is the foundation work for Over The Edge, the park's flume ride. The park's river rapids ride (far right) and movie based jungle boat ride (far left) are still channels being dug in the ground. You can also clearly see the support structures for all the themed facades that were eventually put up to hide the show buildings.
Concrete can be pretty darn boring, unless it is being used to create a new theme park, that is. Contractors used the substance for many structures in MGM Grand Adventures, such as the above Cotton Blossom Bridge. You can also see the boat itself being constructed just behind the bridge in the above photo.
More on the park's concrete: "Billed as the size of the original Disneyland, the Theme Park area presented a whole new set of construction challenges. Approximately 3,500 cubic yards of concrete was poured for the Backlot River Tour, Cotton Blossom Bridge, Over the Edge flume ride, and Grand Canyon Rapids. In addition, numerous building foundations, walkways, and subterranean maintenance pits were also constructed." See, concrete may not be that exciting, but you wouldn't have much of a theme park without it!
Theme Parks need trees, and considering that Las Vegas is in the desert, the park needed to have them transplanted. Trees Company was responsible for moving some 600 trees from the former Tropicana golf course, located across the street from the site. Trees ranging in size from 10 to 60 feet were removed, box planted, and kept healthy until the theme park was ready for them. Some of the trees stayed in boxes as big as 16 feet wide for over two years until the site was ready!I've got more, but that will have to wait for the next Vault!
7 Ekim 2012 Pazar
Mother's Day Brunch - Lakewood, Colorado
Holiday Inn Denver-LakewoodMother's Day BrunchMay 10, 2009 10am - 3pm Buffet will include:
Fruit and Juices
Assortment of Salad
Breakfast meats
Wild Rice Blend
Breakfast Potatoes mixed w/ peppers
Mashed Potatoes
Scrambled Egges
Mushroom chicken
Omelet and Waffle Stations
Pork Loin
Breakfast Burritos with green chili
Baked Halibut
Peel and Eat Shrimp
Carving Station with Ham and Beef
A combination of cakes, cheesecake and pie$24.95For Mothers Day Brunch Reservations at the Holiday Inn Denver Lakewood call:303-985-4882 So treat your mom to a wonderful treat on Mothers DayJoin us for a Brunch near Denver, COwww.hilakewood.com/dining
Denver New Year's Eve Package
Exclusive package is only $99 and includes:
- Accommodations for 2 in a beautifully renovated guest room
- Bottle of Champagne to share
- Breakfast and Mimosas in the Sporting News Grill Restaurant in the morning
- 1pm Late Check-out on New Year's Day... or
- Extend your stay for only $59 (our Friends and Family Rate)
Denver New Year's Eve Hotel Package
www.hilakewood.com