Full Throttle HAS TRAINS!

Got your hands on the Throttle?

As Six Flags Magic Mountain creeps closer to the completion of their next mega coaster, Full Throttle, a big step has been taken that shows that ride testing is just around the corner.  TRAINS ARE ON THE TRACK!  Two to be exact.  One near the station on what appears to be a transfer track and one just outside of the launch tunnel near Superman.

Here's a shot of the train that's outside of the launch tunnel.  You can see riders will sit two by two, with two cars making up a train for a total of 12 riders.

From the sky tower, you can see the second train on the transfer track.  This is going to be a VERY tight turn around from breaks, to station, to launch.  To the left of the train is the break run coming of the top hat over the 160 foot loop.  The platform to the left appears to be where the station will be constructed.

Through the trees near the old Log Jammer station, you can see what the restraints look like.  No over the shoulder harnesses for this record breaking loop.

From the tower, you can see the entire layout of the new coaster.  It starts in the center of the picture, behind the orange track of Tatsu, launches into the loop, goes over the bridge to Superman to the left, then under the bridge into the launch tunnel, then launches again up and over the loop and back into the station.

A look at the station area from above.  That's a very short launch to get you over a very tall loop.

I have some additional photos and video of Full Throttle's construction you can see here.

So what do you think?  Is Full Throttle going to be another Jewel in Magic Mountain's coaster crown?

Welcome to Jurassic Park!

Hey there visitors to Isla Nublar,

The Jurassic Park River Adventure in Universal Studios Hollywood has been a hit since it's opening in 1996.  Two duplicates of the ride have been made in Japan and Florida, and while I have yet to venture to the land of the rising sun, I much prefer the original to the Orlando copy.

Take a look at the full ride through of the attraction I recently filmed.

Those of you familiar with the version at Universal's Islands of Adventure, here are a few of the differences.

- Only one hadrosaur in Hadrosaur Cove
- A crashed boat is in the entrance to the cove
- An animatronic Dilophosaurus is in the crashed boat across from the Velociraptor pen (replacing the two small dinosaurs fighting over the popcorn box, who appear earlier in the ride in Hollywood)
- A car falls off the side of the wall on the approach to the chain lift, much like in the movie (this was replaced by the falling raptor box in Orlando, which isn't nearly as good)
- More raptors in the chain lift
- A fully animatronic GIANT T-Rex head coming from the ceiling just after you leave the chain lift (this was replaced by the scratches on the wall in Orlando, which just doesn't compare.

Take a virtual ride and see for yourself, and please let me know, if there is anyone else out there that has rode another version of the ride, what you think.

Until then, WATCH OUT FOR THAT DINOSAUR!  Just kidding, I'm a kidder.

Universal Construction Update

Hey there lovers of construction,

Universal Studios Hollywood has a lot going on in the upper lot in the way of improvements and new attractions.  I was recently in the park and took a few pictures of what's going on.

First, lets start with what's NOT under construction yet: Harry Potter.  It was announced not too long ago that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter would be coming to Hollywood and the Gibson Amphitheater would be cleared to make way for Hogwarts. 

 The Gibson is still very much in one piece and shows no signs of being under siege by wizards

The entire center of the upper lot is a large construction site.  Universal has removed the old Wild West Stunt Show theater and is replacing it with...something.  It looks like it will be a series of shops or food stands.  Here is the framework for a building that will be going in the front corner of the area.

 The back of the metal framework.  The House of Horrors maze is the building behind it on the left.

A side view of the framework above.  It looks like there will be some sort of roundish entrance-y thing on the front corner.

Moving around the block, to the left of the framework is the beginnings of some wooden beam structures.  You can see it peaking over the wall on the center left.

Continuing around the walls, this small wooden building is visible.

 In the back of the area, near the Animal Actors Stage, this wooden structor is being assembled.

Moving on, over by The Simpsons' Ride, work continues behind the restrooms. 

 They have dug a very particular, very layered hole.  Not sure why.

On to the good stuff.  Universal just officially announced that Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem will be replacing Terminator 2: 3D.  Construction has already been underway at the former T23D site for a few months now

 The store in the front has been re-enclosed after it got all ripped apart.

Further down, scaffolding is still up on what appears to be the new entrance.

Behind the tarps, you can see the metal frame of what appears to be Gru's house.  If they use this for the entrance like they did in Orlando, this make the entrance on the opposite side of the building from where you entered Terminator.

If you want to see more construction shots and videos I took of the different areas, check it out on the Theme Park Nerds YouTube channel.

Have a Tram-tastic Day Nerds!

Autobots: Roll Out!

Hey there nerds,
If you haven't had the chance to experience the new Transformers: The Ride: 3D: Fighting Robots! ride in Universal Studios Hollywood or Orlando, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!  If you like 3D, or fighting robots, or action, or crazy motion ride vehicles, or run, you should have already ridden it by now.

What I want to talk about this time around is the new character meet & greet location Universal Studios Hollywood has put up in front of their Transformers ride.  Since opening, the Hollywood park has had a location near the Transformers gift shop where you can meet Optimus or Bumble Bee for pictures.  If you haven't seen the character costumes for the Transformers, they're AMAZING.  Its a head to toe costume, requiring the actor inside to walk on stilts to pull off the hight of the robots.

The Transformers characters have always been a huge hit with park guests, regularly attracting long lines for a picture.  Recently, Universal upgraded their photo location to include large, armory style metal looking doors to provide each robot a dramatic entrance and exit.  They also added dialogue for each robot (music for Bumble Bee), including the name of the child our adult they are posing with.  Most importantly, Megatron is now in the rotation of Transformers you can meet with.

Check out my video of the Transformers in action in Hollywood.

Nerds, ROLL OUT!

Hanging at the Berry Farm

How's it hanging nerds?

I have been going to Southern California theme parks since I was born.  I have been to Disneyland, Universal, Magic Mountain, and SeaWorld so many times, I lost count years ago.  Dispite my being born in SoCal and frequent family and school trips to the area, I have never once stepped foot inside Knott's Berry Farm.

For years, the park had no draw for me.  Everyone said it was run down, the rides sucked, and it was attended by gangs and undesireables.  I had driven past it on many occasions and never made the turn towards the park, and never thought twice about it.

Over the last few years, I have been watching the park's developement online through various sites.  I watched as Windjammer (or whatever their old racing looping coaster was called) was demolished for Silver Bullet, I followed the progress of Pony Express' and Xcelerator's construction, and even studied the history and renovations to Ghost Town.  Finally, after years of watching from afar, I felt the urge to buy a ticket and set foot inside the park.

I really like Knott's Berry Farm!  I like it a lot, and far more than I ever expected to.  It's definately a local's park.  Sure, tourists from around the country go there, but by and large, you can tell that most of the park's attendance was from around town.  As such, it is filled with thirll rides.  Unlike most thrill parks, however, it also has a select few attractions that have a bit more thought and creativity behind them to make the park unique.

The farm's collection of roller coasters is impressive.  Ghost Rider is one of the longest, and many say, one of the best wooden coasters in the country and it was a favorite of mine.  Pony Express, through exceptionally short, was fun and different than your average coaster in the way that you sat on the trains.  Even Jaguar, a family coaster, was a bit unique in that it had a layout that took you over the top of a good portion of the park.

The two rides that I didn't expect to like as much as I did were the Calico Mine Co. and the Timber Mountain Log Ride.  They are two of the park's oldest attractions, and they manage to withstand the test of time even with their very outdated animatronic characters within.  Calico Mine is a train dark ride with a Jungle Cruise style guide making corny jokes along the way.  While the scenes inside don't hold a candle to the dark ride work of Disney or Universal, for a near 50 year old ride, it's still good fun.  The log ride was also a nice suprise.  The show scenes you float past as you quickly navigate the flume within the mountain are fun and, unlike Splash Mountain at Disneyland, the ride doesn't get you overly wet.  Both attractions are ancient by today's standards but still had lines throughout the day while I was in the park.

All in all, I am very happy I finally made the decision to check out Knott's Berry Farm and look forward to making it a regular stop on my sothern California theme park excursions.

I took lots of video during my day in the park.  Look for them to appear on the Theme Park Nerds YouTube channel soon.

Until Then, 

Later Nerds!

Top 5 Rides Opening in 2013

Yo Nerds,
To begin, if you haven't already done so, make sure you watch our video listing our top 5 new rides for 2013.  

Here's the thing.  We all like rides.  That's why we're here.  This year, however, while there are some looking to be excellent coasters coming out and a few well put together dark rides, there isn't really any OMG MUST GO RIDE THAT RIGHT NOW attractions coming out this year.  Especially after 2012 brought us Transformers in USH, Manta at SeaWorld San Diego, and the mega Cars Land in California Adventure, 2013 kinda pales in comparison.

None the less, there are still several excellent attractions opening soon around the country.  Here is our top 5.

5. Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Six Flags loves their "firsts," and while this is not the first ever steel coaster being supported by a wooden structure, it is the first to do a barrel roll.  Iron Rattler is a renovated and enhanced new version of The Rattler coaster, which opened in Fiesta Texas in 1992.  Aside from the new track, they added the inversion and made changes to many of the existing drops and maneuvers.  Should make for a good time.

4. Full Throttle at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Another thing Six Flags loves is record holders, and they are claiming another record with Full Throttle.  At opening this will be the tallest, fastest looping coaster in the US.  Yes, there are taller and faster coasters (Kingda Ka is currently #1 in both) but with its launch into a 160 foot loop, Full Throttle stakes the claim that no other coaster will go fast AND high AND upside-down.  Aside from that, the ride also features a backwards launch, into a forward launch over the top of the super tall loop.  It's going to be hella short, but hopefully sweet.

3. Transformers at Universal Orlando
Last year, Transformers in Hollywood was one of the marquee attractions of the year and it did not disappoint.  This 3D robot fighting adventure to save the all spark continues to pack in the crowds in the lower lot of the park.  It's huge California success led to the ride being cloned for the third time (the first is in Universal Singapore) in Orlando.  While the ride itself will stand as a long term draw for the park and will have fans for many years to come, we can't get over the fact it feels like an appetizer for the HIGHLY anticipated Harry Potter's London area currently under construction on the other side of the park.  It will be the #1 draw in the park for a little over a year, which is just fine.

2. Gatekeeper at Cedar Point
Not only does this look to be an exciting and fun ride, but Gatekeeper as also dramatically changed the entrance of Cedar Point.  This B&M Wing Coaster dramatically soars over a redesigned park entrance, including near misses through keyholes in towers that now flank the turnstiles.  It also features a 170 foot first drop which is just awesome.  It's going to be a good time

1. Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin at Sea World Orlando
Three words: TRACKLESS PENGUIN RIDE!  Need we say any more?  When Sea World began tearing out the old Penguin Encounter in Orlando, we were intrigued.  When they announced they would be creating a penguin ride, we were excited.  When we finally found out this would be a trackless penguin ride featuring dark ride portions and a trip through the actual penguin habitat without glass blocking all the penguin sights and sounds (and smells), how could we not be nerding out on its awesomeness?

So there you go nerds.  Our top new rides for the year.  What do you think?  Would you have placed them in the same order?  Did we miss anything?

Let us know your thoughts.

Later Nerds,
Mike

Glowing and Showing

What up Nerds,
Blinking Mickey Mouse ears may be one of the coolest things ever.  Mickey Mouse Ears that blink with your favorite nighttime show at your favorite Disney park, supermegaawesomecool!  Of course, that only counts if your favorite Disney nighttime show is Wold of Color, Wishes, Remember, or Magical.  (F off Illuminations and Fanstasmic!)

For the few of you that haven't already seen them, Glow with the Show is the newest in park expenditure that every young child and nerdy adult needs to feel apart of the magic.  They are Mickey Mouse ears that have LED lights that blink and change color in time with the show.  It sounds very simple, but when you get a crowd of people together waring the ears, the effect is pretty amazing.

The ears get signals off transmitters hidden in the show viewing areas that tell the ears what to do.  Disney has been experimenting with secret signals to your toys for quite some time now.  In 2001, for the 100 Years of Magic celebration, they tried to make everyone buy pins that would blink along with your favorite rides.   Later, they had Pal Mickey, that would say crazy and annoying things whenever you got close to certain locations in the parks.  Both failed to really take off and faded into Disney marketing oblivion.

The Glow with the Show ears make for an amazing effect when you are at the park with a crowd of people wearing the same ears, but once you take them home, they are nothing more than a memory of the awesomeness you are no longer taking part in.  Sure, if you live close to a Disney park, they are a sound investment towards continued nighttime amusement, but if you don't, it's a one time blink fest that has little additional use at home.

Check out our latest video on Glow with the Show.  We have included some shots from World of Color and Disney Dreams in Paris (both from the Disney Parks YouTube channel) so you can get a feel for what the ears add to the shows if you haven't seen it for yourself.

Glow on Nerds,
Mike