News Round Up 2016

[Ursula's Apprentice]

The grammar queen in me dies a little when I see this stuff

Yeah, I feel the same. Bugs me a little when it's on a board like this, but when it's on an "official" blog, it kills me.

 

[Spacedog1975]

*Theme Park News* Non-Disney related

http://www.usatoday.com/story/trave...irtual-reality-roller-coasters-2016/81224838/

Six Flags to add VR "option" to existing roller coasters this year.

They are adding VR headsets to the ride experience, including controllers to allow you to shoot at targets. You can opt out as well.

Very interesting. The motion should match (it'll cause some serious nausea if it gets out of sync!) the movement of the ride. Your body will be going through the physical motion. Your eyes will be in a "VR" world that mimics the motion, but is completely separate from the ride experience. One example is Superman... where it will be like you are flying with Superman while on the roller coaster.

rteetz - feel free to move or delete since it isn't Disney related, but since it is theme park I thought it was interesting.

I would certainly try this once. I still feel like there is a major risk of getting ill from a headset that isn't tuned precisely. Cool idea, though.

 

[HopperFan]

*Theme Park News* Non-Disney related

http://www.usatoday.com/story/trave...irtual-reality-roller-coasters-2016/81224838/

Six Flags to add VR "option" to existing roller coasters this year.

They are adding VR headsets to the ride experience, including controllers to allow you to shoot at targets. You can opt out as well.

Very interesting. The motion should match (it'll cause some serious nausea if it gets out of sync!) the movement of the ride. Your body will be going through the physical motion. Your eyes will be in a "VR" world that mimics the motion, but is completely separate from the ride experience. One example is Superman... where it will be like you are flying with Superman while on the roller coaster.

rteetz - feel free to move or delete since it isn't Disney related, but since it is theme park I thought it was interesting.

I would certainly try this once. I still feel like there is a major risk of getting ill from a headset that isn't tuned precisely. Cool idea, though.

Haven't gotten Six Flags Season Passes in years (Georgia) but when this came across the wire, DS brought up looking at Passes again since day tickets are about the same cost without a coupon. Passholder exclusive ride coming up. In addition SFOG has crazy number of coasters, new family section, new waterpark included (not me ), added Holiday in the Park (includes mini-Osborne type lights) with Fright Fest and more. Did the math and our Season Passes (next week through January) with bring friends free coupons, free parking ($20) and more for $72 each. They now offer a Season Dining option that will give us unlimited drinks, dinner/lunch/snack every day we are there, 20% shopping discount, AND both Pass/Dining good at their second water park located elsewhere. That add on is $84 - break even in less than two visits. Total $156, not much more than one day at MK with parking.

Don't get me wrong 6F has NOTHING on Disney and apples to oranges, but they are dangling a pretty sweet carrot.

 

[Spacedog1975]

Haven't gotten Six Flags Season Passes in years (Georgia) but when this came across the wire, DS brought up looking at Passes again since day tickets are about the same cost without a coupon. Passholder exclusive ride coming up. In addition SFOG has crazy number of coasters, new family section, new waterpark included (not me ), added Holiday in the Park (includes mini-Osborne type lights) with the standby Fright Fest and more. Did the math and our Season Passes (next week through January) with bring friends free coupons, free parking ($20) and more for $72 each. They now offer a Season Dining option that will give us unlimited drinks, dinner/lunch/snack every day we are there, 20% shopping discount, AND both Pass/Dining good at their second water park located elsewhere. That add on is $84 - break even in less than two visits. Total $156, not much more than one day at MK with parking.

Don't get me wrong 6F has NOTHING on Disney and apples to oranges, but they are dangling a pretty sweet carrot.

I would definitely do it if you're close. The only thing preventing me from doing AP for a more traditional amusement park is the distance I have to travel. Both proximate ones are around 3 hours away. If they were within an hour, I'd do it every year.

 

[rteetz]

News

The man who built R2D2 has died.

http://gizmo.do/Wkq9tTn

 

[HopperFan]

I would definitely do it if you're close. The only thing preventing me from doing AP for a more traditional amusement park is the distance I have to travel. Both proximate ones are around 3 hours away. If they were within an hour, I'd do it every year.

Yeah. I've spent half my life within 30+ minutes of 6F and always had a pass through high school, my family when kids young and then sporadically when HS activities interfered. My kids actually can't imagine not having a big amusement park close to their home. So close we can go for the evening for a few hours - and if dinner included, not bad.

With all that they are adding, the special events and the pricing structure & coupon book (includes lots of Bring a Friend for Free) I don't know of anything else we could do per visit that cheap. Oh geez, I think I'm talking myself into it.

 

[luisov]

Film and TV news

Walt Disney Animation Studios' Zootopia opens today March 4th in US theaters. Go watch it!

Film is officially Certified Fresh in Rotten Tomatoes, rated 99% fresh with 106 reviews so far (it had 100% just yesterday). The film has a foreign total of 93,200,000 so far.

 

[Ursula's Apprentice]

News

The man who built R2D2 has died.

http://gizmo.do/Wkq9tTn

Sad news indeed.

 

[Roxyfire]

Yeah. I've spent half my life within 30+ minutes of 6F and always had a pass through high school, my family when kids young and then sporadically when HS activities interfered. My kids actually can't imagine not having a big amusement park close to their home. So close we can go for the evening for a few hours - and if dinner included, not bad.

With all that they are adding, the special events and the pricing structure & coupon book (includes lots of Bring a Friend for Free) I don't know of anything else we could do per visit that cheap. Oh geez, I think I'm talking myself into it.

I did take take up the deal for Six Flags Great America. Myself and my son both got passes (free parking included) and I did the meal plan add on for myself. I just added it for him since one meal to share isn't quite enough. I've already broken even on my passes that I bought in the fall. We do get the free water parks add on but it's usually so chilly in the Chicago area I really don't see any point in going unless it is a true heat wave. Then at that point everyone has the same idea. We usually go once per month so it's definitely worth it, but I would never pay full price for any of it. I know 6F gets a bad rap on here but being within 30 minutes I absolutely cannot beat the value of just going there and walking around while my son goes on crazy roller coasters all day.

 

[rteetz]

Film and TV news

Walt Disney Animation Studios' Zootopia opens today March 4th in US theaters. Go watch it!

Film is officially Certified Fresh in Rotten Tomatoes, rated 99% fresh with 106 reviews so far (it had 100% just yesterday). The film has a foreign total of 93,200,000 so far.

I think this will be a hit I can't wait to see it.

 

[piglet1979]

Yeah. I've spent half my life within 30+ minutes of 6F and always had a pass through high school, my family when kids young and then sporadically when HS activities interfered. My kids actually can't imagine not having a big amusement park close to their home. So close we can go for the evening for a few hours - and if dinner included, not bad.

With all that they are adding, the special events and the pricing structure & coupon book (includes lots of Bring a Friend for Free) I don't know of anything else we could do per visit that cheap. Oh geez, I think I'm talking myself into it.

I am close to Cedar Point. Roughly 1.5 hours away. Their season passes are $204 and we only get to go from May until end of October. And this is all that it say is included: With a Platinum Pass, enjoy unlimited visits, Valravn, HalloWeekends, early ride times and more. This is truly the best value and way to experience all that Cedar Point has to offer. I wish we had the same passes here. We might get the season passes then.

 

[rteetz]

News

Frozen sing along closing at DCA in April.

https://twitter.com/dlthings/status/705816958114013186

 

[rteetz]

News

Frozen Live the musical starts May 27th at DCA.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...-27-2016-at-disney-california-adventure-park/

 

[rteetz]

News

The Star Wars dark side half marathon in WDW medals

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...on-the-dark-side-at-walt-disney-world-resort/

Oh how I wish I was running this race.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

News

The Star Wars dark side half marathon in WDW medals

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...on-the-dark-side-at-walt-disney-world-resort/

Oh how I wish I was running this race.

I got a last minute bib for the 10k, personally, I think I'll get the best medal, though I'm still jealous of the xwing medal from the dl sw races.

 

[rteetz]

I got a last minute bib for the 10k, personally, I think I'll get the best medal, though I'm still jealous of the xwing medal from the dl sw races.

I'm jealous of the falcon medal for running the half on both coasts.

 

[DoingDisney]

My son sat the entire time and had no one in front of him for at least 8 or 9 feet. My youngest didn't even get out of his stroller. No one asked us to move forward and there was no one near us for the entire show. And we walked in to the area right as the projection show started. This was on a non-recommended Magic Kingdom day during President's Day week.

A) your experience is not typical, at least not according to many many reviews and dozens of posters here.

B) If you experienced that with your FP+ in all likelihood you would have been able to do the exact same thing, in the exact same space, without an FP if Wishes FP+s didn't exist.

 

[sachilles]

The whole hub area was wide open when I was there last week.

 

[rteetz]

News

The 1955 berm around Disneyland exposed for the Star Wars expansion.

https://twitter.com/laughing_place/status/705845467691618305

Wow, lots of work taking place here.

 

[ColoradoDreamin]

A) your experience is not typical, at least not according to many many reviews and dozens of posters here.

B) If you experienced that with your FP+ in all likelihood you would have been able to do the exact same thing, in the exact same space, without an FP if Wishes FP+s didn't exist.

My frequent trips his experience was typical. Wishes fast pass we were able to sit with room. He rest of the park was packed. And to be fair - most posters here aren't "typical" Disney world guests in any aspect, but most think they are