Welcome aboard explorers! In the ever changing dynamic of Behind the Thrills we would like to announce…Nothing! No special news, no major projects, nothing special to announce. Yet. We have ideas, but the thing about ideas is that they change. Beliefs are dangerous. How many people throughout history have died in the name of a belief? Crusades were fought over beliefs. They are concrete, solid, and pretty unchangeable. It’s a structure system. Ideas, on the other hand are flights of fancy that pop in and out of your head at a whim. We can change those ideas, and come up with new ones. But we have some ideas. And if we ever get time to breathe and act on these ideas, you may just like them.
Oh, and for the record Behind the Thrills is not under new management…yet we always like smiling new faces 🙂
My theme park news smiles while you cry!
Disney
Author of the Kingdom Keepers book series, Ridley Pearson will be signing books Thursday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. On Saturday, Julie Andrew’s Daughter and co-author of the Very Fairy Princess Takes the Stage, Emma Walton Hamilton will be signing books at Once upon a Toy in Downtown Disney. This is all in celebration of National Literacy Week. Full Details
Fans of the House of Blues at Downtown Disney will be happy to know that the menu has changed, and old favorites are made new by adding and subtracting ingredients. I love the cuisine at HOB, hate seafood, and am completely ecstatic that they now have the most delicious Jambalaya without shrimp. Yeah, I know…picky eaters. More details
Disney has also announced their Cruise Line Itinerary for 2013, and they will be returning to Europe with cruises to Athens, Greece and other destinations as well as returning to Alaska. They will also offer service departing from Miami as well as Port Canaveral. More details
Speaking of Disney Cruise Line, the all new ship, the Fantasy leaves it’s dock at the factory and sets sail.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fwbx04yledQ
Disneyland Paris turns 20 later this year, and they are doing a HUGE celebration. An all new castle show looks as if it will combine key elements from just about every major Disney show produced, with castle projections, water fountains, fires, lasers and fireworks.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gXuirlxVcY&feature=player_embedded#at=150
Other
Actual news, or more PR hijinks from Thorpe Park? Their new coaster, The Swarm, recently underwent dummy tests. That means they put mannequins on the coaster to make sure they cleared the track and obstacles. In a bunch of grotesquely disfigured pictures, dummies appear to be missing limbs. The park is now saying they have to redesign portions of the ride to make it safe. Buying it? See the pics
La Ronde in Montreal is getting an all new swing for 2012, Vol Ultime. The tower will about 15 stories tall and will open in May. Check out this preview video below:
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5A90ZJM99c&feature=youtu.be
If you can get to New Zealand, or live in New Zealand, I strongly suggest you check out the open casting call for Peter Jackson’s highly anticipated “The Hobbit”. The film is the prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and if you fit a certain make and model…he wants to cast you! Full details
Ride of the Day
I’ve been completely obsessed lately with the now defunct and scary Six Flags New Orleans. They had coasters that went pretty much right through the swamps surrounding the area. It looked kind of scary, but oddly fascinating. The Mega Zeph Wooden Coaster is your ride of the day
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yPfD54Yaw0
