Rumor Alert- Could Zonko's Close?

 Rumor Alert- Could Zonko's Close at Hogsmeade?

 Another new rumor coming from Universal Orlando, this time around their popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter areas.

 It seems the rumor mill  has been working overtime lately with the opening of Universal Studios Orlando's new Diagon Alley coming into the home stretch. 

 Some are saying that the popular joke shop from the Harry Potter book series, Zonko's could close in the Hogesmeade area. With the new London Area, Diagon Alley opening to the public this summer could that area have it's own joke shop, making two of them rather redundant?

 Diagon Alley is rumored to have it's own joke shop called "Weasely's Wizard Wheezes" which would be larger that the current Zonko's (at least according to the Harry Potter Books). The rumor is stating that Zonko's will close to make way for the newer and larger shop.  This would be the frist closure of anything in Wizarding World.

 Again, this is currently ONLY A RUMOR. Universal Orlando hasn't confirmed or denied any portion of this rumor.

Arabian Nights Dinner Show to Close

  The Arabian Nights Dinner Show in Kissmmee, Florida will be closing. Their final performance will be given on New Years Eve.

 The long-time Florida tradition, Arabian Nights will be closing forever citing a downturn in sales and demand for lower ticket prices which hinder the quality of the show, states owner Mark Miller.  Miller also states that the group sales to resort and ticket brokers are down as they also are demanding a lower, more discounted price.

 Rather than offering an inferior and shoddy product on the shoe-string budget these sales would allow, Miller made the tough call to close the show's doors forever.

 The show which is set in a horseshoe shaped area has given over 10,000 performances of it's romantic story of two Bedouin tribes uniting in marriage.  After 25 years it's going to be hard to look at the Kissimmee tourist area the same way with Arabian Nights gone. It will join a long line of extinct dinner shows lingering in Florida history.

 Miller understands the impact this will have to Central Florida residents so Arabian Nights is offering 50% off tickets for residents to visit the show one last time though the end of the year.

After the show closes the 40 amazingly trained horses will be moving to an 80 acre farm, Miller's family has been breeding and caring for both Arabian horses and other breeds for ages. So no fear of anything regarding the animal care after the end of the show. Sadly the same can't be said for the 224 employees who will also be loosing their jobs- from animal staff to servers.

 Miller also stated that he will likely sell the land around the building as well as the building but for now, a small staff will stay on to keep the building standing and secure. From the article it seems unlikely the show will ever return. While I deplore the loss of jobs and a Florida Staple, I also have to commend Mark Miller for his standards. Rather than offer a cheap and watered-down product just to sell tickets, one that won't live up to the history and standards of the show.. it will close.

 We're all rather sad to see the end of yet another Florida tradition. While I've seen the show several times in my past, I can't say the food was amazing but you didn't go for the food. You went to watch the story, told to you through horses and performers.  Food and Drink simply became an after thought, an automatic action while you stared in amazement at the astounding acrobatics and beauty happening before you.

 If your in Central Florida, Visit Arabian Nights before it disappears. You can purchase tickets either over the phone or through their ticket office.  Please note you WILL need a Florida ID to get the 'Half-Price' ticket.

Why the Busch Gardens Parks are NOT going anyplace..

 If your out there on the internet and stumbled upon some of the "Doom and Gloom" crowd, I'm sure you've seen the folks crying the downfall of these parks.  Oh yes, the sandwich boards are out of the closets and people are screaming "the end is nigh" from the rooftops which I believe are completely untrue.

 Okay, let me explain.

1. Busch Gardens Tampa
 Folks are citing the closure of Crown Colony Restaurant and the Garden Gate Cafe as signs of impending doom.  I've dug into this and let me enlighten you, Crown Colony isn't closing, it's the table service area which is shutting down for the slow season. This happens every year folks, it's nothing new. It's been happening since Anheuser-Busch owned the parks, generally end of August through March this would close as it just wasn't needed. Also, Garden Gate Cafe is NOT closing, it's the Orang Cafe which is closing for the season. Personally I'd expect both of these to re-open about the time of spring break (late March-early April) and run through the spring/summer season once again.

 It's also out there that closure of the skyride is another sign but folks, this closes seasonally too. It's always closed during Howl-O-Scream season as it was once used as a haunt and sometimes the queue line is re-purposed for a haunt, plus the ride over the area sometimes gave away some of the haunts. Rhino Rally is another example, this ride is EXPENSIVE to operate and it's always been plagued with issues. I can't tell you if it's completely normal these days to see it closed during off-season but in the past it was fairly common. However, I admit it is closing a little earlier then normal.

 The other point is the $50 weekday passes. To me, if your not getting the numbers you want, this makes sense. Busch Gardens shouldn't have huge prices nor should Seaworld. Before Blackstone took over these parks never played much in the "price hike wars" which happen seasonally in Florida.  Not only will a cheaper weekday ticket get the tourists in the door, your going to bring in more locals also. This goes hand in hand with cutting out their "late night" hours, which have been reduced.

 Now let me point out something, a park that is in "serious trouble" as some are saying, doesn't build new rides. Yet that's exactly what Busch Gardens Tampa is going. A new ride is coming in 2014 called "Falcons Fury" which is a unique take on a drop ride. Troubled parks don't build, they cut building projects.

 Nor do troubled parks work to re-open rides yet that's exactly what I've heard is going on with Gwazi. It wasn't operating at all for a time as the park was waiting on a vital ride part to be shipped in, I'm told it's now operating on at least one side. I can't honestly tell you the future of the ride as stated in my "The Gwazi Situation"  post but for right now, it was repaired and one side is running.

Blackstone may be tightening the reigns, that's obvious by some earlier-then-normal closures but I don't think the park is going into decline.




2. Williamsburg
 Oh Boy, this is Doom and Gloom central. Now, I can see why some of this is being said but a lot of it is just plain nonsense.

 Let's begin with the closure of some attractions. The most obvious is "Europe in the Air" which is a film simulator type ride. This has never been something impressive and the attraction really hasn't had a line of any substance in years aside from the fact it's air-conditioned in the summer. This entire attraction has gone through 3 different versions, none of which stuck around very long. They just haven't been popular with tourists. Apparently it closed rather suddenly in July, this could be for two big reasons. The first is simple, it's broken or they've opted to remove it (which I wouldn't blame them for, it's dull). The second and most likely answer is the fact that the "Europe in the Air" queue and part of the building is used for a haunt during Howl-o-Scream.  The next 'closure' is the Globe Theater which is simply being re-vamped for a new show. They are removing the 4D show and setting it up for live performance which does take time and some considerable effort to produce.

 The next point of contention is the live shows. Everyone (and I do mean EVERYONE) dislikes the entertainment director. I admit, his shows are pretty crappy and dull enough that even kids aren't amused by them. The "Entwined" show which is now in the Festhaus is enough to make your eyes cross. Top this off with rumors that none of the performers have had contract renewals and folks are being fired for anything at the drop of a hat, that doesn't look too good. Double that up with the new show going into the Globe theater and we all know what to avoid in favor of roller coasters. Personally, I don't see this as "Doom and Gloom" but Williamsburg always had excellent shows and it seems like this is a downhill sign.. at least until he gets booted.


Frankly,  I don't see "Imminent failure and closure' in these signs. I just don't, what I do see is budget cutting were is isn't going to hurt the parks in a massive way.  Remember, we're not playing with Anheuser-Busch money anymore and we're playing with a company that isn't used to operating a proper theme park. They either learn it takes money to make money or they'll sell the parks to someone who has a clue what it takes to operate a proper theme park but I don't believe we'll see them fail in the least.  Plus I don't believe that August Busch III would allow that to happen, unlike August Busch IV (aka "Junior" or "That Idiot") he loves the parks and was displeased about their sale.

Busch Gardens Tampa- The Gwazi Situation

So, What IS the deal with Gwazi?!

The hell if I know, let's find out!

  Basiclly, the Tiger side of the dueling coaster, Gwazi, has been closed since 2012. Some of us really want to know "WHY"?! Which is a perpetual question that bugs me to no end, especially when it comes to why theme parks do strange things. Gwazi is an amazing ride and always was. Now, some folks will tell you that this closure happened because the ride was just 'too rough',  even with the new Millennium Flyer trains.  Say it with me kids, BULLSHIT. It's a wooden coaster, that's kind of what they do. The new trains reportedly didn't help smooth the ride and butchered the main points of Gwazi, air time and speed. I rode Gwazi for years, from the week it opened till my last visit in 2006 on the Philadelphia Toboggan Company trains. It wasn't any rougher then many other wooden coasters I've rode in my years and a good deal smoother then some (Hercules, Mean Streak, Ect). So simply, I'm not buying the 'it's too rough' excuse.

  The officially stated reason is 'Budget Issues' which, if you have half a brain, just screams "BULLSHIT".  Busch Gardens Tampa doesn't have a budget problem, they have a broken coaster and space problem. 

  Let me explain..

  Busch Gardens is located in Temple Terrance, FL (Suburb of Tampa Bay) which is about 9 miles North of the Bay and about 23 miles East of the Gulf of Mexico. Plenty of cool ocean breezes and the lovely salt they carry with them. Salt water is the problem, wood warps easily when went and salt corrodes the hell out of everything. With a wooden coaster like Gwazi so close to so many of these elements, it's probably costing a small fortune in lumber to keep the ride running at any level (maybe this is the 'budget problem'?).  The second problem is termites, they have a field day with any exposed wood in Florida no matter if it's the treated stuff or not. The third problem is sand, the entire state of Florida is nothing but a sand bar on limestone. Sand likes to shift and move around randomly, think of sink holes.  

  All three of these are probably key factors as to the situation with Gwazi. I'm not engineer nor am I a geologist, but I spend enough of my life in Florida to know the problems with any structure. A giant dueling wooden coaster is a rather large structure, after all. 

  Now, before you go off saying it's some kind of a massive flaw with the fact this is a dueling wooden coaster, it's not. Gwazi has a sister coaster,  built in the same style (dueling) with the same elements (Height, Near-Passes, Etc) called Lightning Racer in Hershey Park. Lightning Racer has no massive problems, no "rough ride" and certainly half of it isn't closed.

From CoasterImage.com

  So what does it all really mean? I'm not sure, I have some suspicions of my own but you've got to know the history first. Gwazi was a pet project for Anheuser-Busch Entertainment when it was built, they REALLY wanted a wooden coaster at their Florida park because no one else had one operating outside of the Florida Panhandle at the time. It was a huge deal then, a wooden coaster in Central Florida, MADNESS! When Gwazi was built it had the most fly-by's of any dueling coaster, it is still the largest and fastest double wooden coaster in the Southeast US.. and Busch Gardens had it.

  Now when Blackstone bought out the theme park from InBev (who bought Anheuser-Busch) things began to change. I believe Gwazi is one of those things which will be changing quickly, they no longer want to spend the money to up-keep a pride and pet project. This is my own opinion of what's happening to Gwazi today. 

  Then comes the space issues. Busch Gardens Tampa doesn't really have much space left, their in a rather crowded area surrounded on all side by other businesses, highways, homes and such. This doesn't leave much room, if any at all, to expand with new attractions without getting rid of one key element of this park, the animals.

Example of what I mean. Bad Paintbrush by yours truly. Image from Google Earth

 As you can easily see, they really don't have any space. Sure, you could easily shift around parking lots and such but that's not the point here (trust me, I've seen them parking in the ball field and grass when it gets stupid busy, it's not fun). Gwazi takes up a lot of space. Space that Blackstone could put something new and in need of less TLC into.

  That's exactly what the rumors are saying is going to happen. They've been reported from half a dozen places, including ScreamScape, which say that a new 'speed coaster' will be coming sometime in 2014-2015. I can't tell you if this is true or not, but I can say this: I don't like it. Gwazi is unique and fun and wooden coasters are getting more rare by the day as steel is cheaper and easier to build. Having a wooden coaster is almost a badge of honor for most parks and for someplace like Busch Gardens Tampa, it's a huge achievement and a labor of love. To get rid of it because you want to save some extra cash and labor costs? Not cool, Blackstone. Not cool at all.

  In the end, I can't tell you what's really wrong with Gwazi, just my own speculations. Nor can I tell you it's ultimate fate, just the rumors. However, I can tell you this: to loose it wouldn't be an advantage to the park, it'd be a disability and a damn shame.

What happened to the Characters in Flight Balloon?

Cause I have to tell you, I was confused as hell when I came home from a lovely weekend out to hear that all of Disney's "Characters in Flight" balloons around the world had been shut down.. some even removed very quickly.  I had to contact a friend to even find out what on earth they where talking about because somehow my brain-in-vacation-mode didn't connect the dots!

Well naturally when I got home and sat down for some serious internet searching to try and find an answer! After a little while I came across what many are suspecting is the reason, so I'm here to share it with the rest of you!

Five Hurt in Ocean Park Balloon Plunge

Five people where injured when the same type of balloon which operates as Disney's "Characters in Flight" sprung a leak and suddenly became very close friends with gravity.

"The problem was a rupture

in the gas-filled bag. Park officials refused to provide details, but some witnesses said the gash was more than three meters wide." 

 Well Folks, I think after that article and some really shocking pictures it's easy to see that Disney would quickly bring down their own fleet. However I'm surprised to find out the balloon at Downtown Disney is Orlando, Florida has been completely removed. Perhaps it's simply for a detailed check of all operating items and the balloon its-self but I suspect this could be a permanent closure and full removal for this pay-per-ride attraction.  The balloons in Disneyland and Disneyland Paris are also closed until further notice, no word of their complete removal has been posted yet to my knowledge.

I'll post more information if any becomes available, so please stay tuned!

Daily Distraction- Thursday 5/31

Thursday 5/31

Today's Distraction is a Double since today we're all saying a fond goodbye to a classic Disney World attraction. Today is the last day of operations for "Snow Whites Scary Adventures" at the Magic Kingdom, if you can I suggest you go today and get your last ride on a classic attraction before it disappears into the halls of history.  Later this week I'll post up some of my own photos and some ride-threw video dedicated to Snow White.

Central Florida News 13 Reports

Today's real distraction comes from a website which focuses on old amusement parks from the past. Defunct Amusement Parks is a great list and picture archive of the parks our parents and grandparents grew up going to. From the small  local jobs to much larger parks which have also disappeared into the halls of history. Places like Palisades Park and Dogpatch USA.  So go and take a look, some of these are sad but beautiful at the same time. One of these days I'll get down to some of these places, the ones that are still standing but not operating to explore them!

Defunct Amusement Parks

Daily Distraction- Monday 5/21

Monay 5/21

Today's Distraction comes in the form of rumors, cause who doesn't love a good and juicey theme park rumor?! I know I certainly do and very few places have the wealth of information and all around gossip that Screamscape does! Some of them are true while others are false, so I'll simply warn you don't believe it till you see it yourself!
So for those of you who aren't aware of it yet, go over and check the site out. They have all the major parks, both big and small. United States and around the world so scoot on over there and take a look at what your local park has in the works!

Screamscape