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Category: Theme Parks
From rideaccidents.com:
A broken cable dangles below the feet of riders on the Hurakan Condor freefall drop tower at Port Aventura theme park in Spain. The rides emergency stop system was engaged, possibly preventing a repeat of an accident last year in which a girls feet were severed by a broken cable on a similar drop tower ride at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom.
Park maintenance workers spent nearly an hour preparing the car and its path for a safe drop. No one was injured. The ride was shut down, but the rest of the cars were running with passengers just hours later.
Link
Posted by Dr. Disney on June 17, 2008 at 3:45 pm · Permalink
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Category: Theme Parks
From rideaccidents.com:
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture KDA has released its final report detailing the findings of its investigation into the June 2007 accident in which a teenager lost both of her feet on the Superman: Tower of Power ride at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom theme park after a cable snapped. Based on their conclusion, state officials formally cited and fined the park.
302 KAR 16:0205 requires that All amusement rides and amusement attractions shall be maintained in good electrical and mechanical condition and shall be under the supervision of an operator at all times during the operation of the amusement ride or amusement attraction. The KDA has always required amusement ride manuals provided by the manufacturer to be followed to satisfy this requirement. Based upon scientific evidence and expert opinion, the cause of the cable failure has been determined to be fatigue, a progressive failure of the mechanism. Also based upon expert opinion, it was determined that the extent of the fatigue would have made it possible for SFKK personnel to detect the deteriorating condition of the cable using the procedures outlined in the more recent ride manual. Therefore, a violation of 302 KAR 16:0205 occurred due to the cable not being maintained in good mechanical condition.
Broken cable of Superman drop tower ride
Kaitlyn Lasitters shoelace remains intertwined with the broken, rusty cable.
The park was fined $1,000. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Dr. Disney on June 4, 2008 at 7:23 am · Permalink
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Category: Disney, Travel, Theme Parks
From attractionsmagazine.com:
As seven, well-trained astronauts begin an important mission to the International Space Station on Saturday, May 31, one toy astronaut, Buzz Lightyear, will begin a journey to help educate children across the country.
The liftoff of space shuttle Discovery kicks off a new education initiative between NASA and Disney Parks. A 12-inch-tall Buzz Lightyear action figure will be carried aboard the shuttle as part of the partnership to encourage students to pursue studies in science, technology and mathematics, one of NASA’s main educational goals.
Link to more information and a video teaser
Posted by Ricky on May 29, 2008 at 12:33 pm · Permalink
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Category: Disney, Technology, Travel, Theme Parks
From usatoday.com:
Starting this month, you can tour realistic re-creations of Disneys Florida theme parks and resorts simply by clicking your computer mouse.
In a pioneering partnership aiming to go online Tuesday, Google Earth and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts will make it easy to take a virtual trip to Walt Disney Worlds Epcot Center, Animal Kingdom, Disneys Hollywood Studios and 22 Disney hotels and resorts.
Fans have been asking for something like this for years and it’s only going to get better in the future. Simply amazing.
Link
Posted by Ricky on May 16, 2008 at 12:48 pm · Permalink
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Category: Disney, Theme Parks
From attractionsmagazine.com:
We now have a complete 49-minute video online of Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde’s presentation on the history of Animal Kingdom given at 9:45am on April 22, the park’s 10th anniversary.
The presentation was delivered in front of cast members and fans at the theater that houses the Finding Nemo Musical stage show.
Click here to download the video from our videos page.
Link
Posted by Ricky on April 23, 2008 at 3:05 pm · Permalink
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Category: Disney, Theme Parks
From attractionsmagazine.com:
Disney’s Animal Kingdom celebrated its 10th anniversary today with a morning ceremony in front of the Tree of Life featuring Imagineer Joe Rohde and Dr. Jane Goodall. After the ceremony, we had a chance to talk to Rohde and Goodall about Animal Kingdom and their favorite parts of the park.
You can download a high-quality video of the complete ceremony and interviews by visiting our video page.
Link
Posted by Ricky on April 22, 2008 at 5:47 pm · Permalink
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Category: Movies, Universal Studios, Theme Parks
We attended a Back to the Future screening / panel discussion at Celebration on Saturday, April 19 in which actor Christopher Lloyd and writer/producer Bob Gale revealed some interesting tidbits about The Simpsons Ride and the upcoming Blu-Ray release of Back to the Future.
From attractionsmagazine.com:
During the Q&A session, Christopher Lloyd revealed that he had, in fact, voiced his BTTF character, Doc Brown, for The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios. He stated that the crazy, wild-eyed doc would be making a brief cameo appearance, as a Simpsons character, near the beginning of the new attraction.
Bob Gale also mentioned that they are seriously considering adding the Back to the Future: The Ride flim to the Blu-Ray release of the movie, which does not yet have a release date.
Link to full post and event photo gallery
Posted by Ricky on April 20, 2008 at 9:20 am · Permalink
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Category: Disney, Travel, Theme Parks
From attractionsmagazine.com:
The Top 3 candidates for Disney’s first-ever Chief Magic Official have arrived in Orlando and will begin engaging in various competitions tomorrow.
Below is the schedule for the CMO events around Walt Disney World for the next few days, in case anyone wants to try to see and/or take part in the various competitions:
Thursday, April 17:
8am - Stroller Derby - Skyway Stroller Parking in Fantasy Land
11:30am - Noon - Throw In The Towel. This is a non-public event, shot in a resort room for the web.
2pm - The Loudest Crowd - Main Street, MK.
Friday, April 18:
10am - Know The Show - Epcot Tip Board
2pm - Make A Face - AK, Lower Bradley Falls.
Time unknown - Shadow the Dream Squad.
Tuesday:
8am - Selection Ceremony, MK Rose Garden.
It appears that the 8am events will take place before the Magic Kingdom opens, so they are likely not going to be open for public viewing, unless Disney allows early entry for them.
We have been told that the CMO Selection Ceremony on Tuesday will be broadcast live on DreamCMO.com. Voting to select the winner of the contest is currently ongoing at the web site as well and will continue through Monday, April 21. Videos of the competitions will be posted there over the next few days.
Thanks to Kenny (”the pirate” - one of last year’s Dream Job winners) for sending in the schedule.
Link
Posted by Ricky on April 16, 2008 at 10:36 pm · Permalink
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Category: Disney, Theme Parks
From jpgmag.com:
On a recent vacation to the West Coast I ventured to one of the World’s most beloved, and for obvious reasons unnamed, Theme Parks in Southern California. After an hour or so I became fascinated with the lack of enthusiasm on the faces around me. While waiting near a ride to take pictures of my friends as they drove by in a tiny yellow car I decided to snap some random shots of other people driving by.
It quickly became clear to me that most of the people around me were here because of some sort of cultural obligation to have fun. Just one in a long list of “not to be missed” experiences that Americans feel the need to indulge in.
As part of my experiment I began to take pictues while walking past crowds of people going the other direction. I just held up my camera and snapped.
Link
Posted by Ricky on April 15, 2008 at 1:13 pm · Permalink
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Category: Disney, Theme Parks
From attractionsmagazine.com:
The Walt Disney Company has a long history of sending interesting and collectible swag to the press to boost their excitement for attractions opening soon. The newest attraction headed for both Walt Disney World here in Orlando as well as the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Ca. is Toy Story Mania, scheduled to officially open this Summer (and possibly unofficially open within the next couple of weeks).
This attraction blends “4D” technology (3D screens/glasses practical effects, like water squirting riders) with an interactive carnival-themed shooting element, similar to Disney’s own Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at the Magic Kingdom, only taken to the next level. The new attraction will feature not only Buzz Lightyear, but a host of other characters familiar to any fan of the Disney/Pixar films Toy Story and Toy Story 2.
Today, we received this fun and inventive box, not as an invitation to a press event, but simply as a reminder (to us and everyone reading this) that Toy Story Mania is on its way soon
Link to pictures
Posted by Ricky on April 11, 2008 at 5:22 pm · Permalink
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