Tuesday news round-up: Knott's, Universal, Disney and Marvel

August 14, 2012, 12:00 PM · Knott's Berry Farm announced today that its shoot-the-chutes ride, Perilous Plunge, will close at the end of the month. The park's planning a new attraction for the space, but hasn't said what that will be. What do you think of this type of ride? Personally, the only ones I like are the themed versions, such as Busch Gardens' Escape from Pompeii, or ones that offer some innovative twist, such as the vertical lift on Holiday World's Pilgrims' Plunge.

Perilous Plunge

Universal Studios Hollywood announced another maze for its Halloween Horror Nights: "Universal Monsters Remix" will feature Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster and other classic Universal monsters in a gothic castle, set to "horror-inspired dance and electronic music." That sounds a little like a Halloween version of Universal Studios Singapore's Monster Rock show. What do you think? Will it be a good fit for HHN?

And getting to the big story of the day: As I noted in an update on yesterday's story, the deal for Stacy Snider and Steven Spielberg to return to Universal is said to be dead. And with that, Universal has no need to give up anything to Disney in exchange for letting the two out of their distribution contract with Disney. Looks like if Disney's has any hope of prying the Orlando theme park rights to its Marvel characters from Universal, it's going to have to offer something else instead. As far as I'm concerned, unless Universal could buy the Batman rights from Six Flags and build a Gotham Island in its place, I'd be thrilled to see Islands of Adventure keep its Marvel Super Hero Island.

Replies (7)

August 14, 2012 at 12:15 PM · The shoot the chutes rides are good for a hot summer day, but I definately favor the themed rapids rides. Busch Gardens Williamsburg's Pompeii is a lot of fun, especially when the hot volcanic fire effects are working well. Plus its a really beautiful ride. Our local historic landmark park, Kennywood, has an old time shoot the rapids ride in their Lost Kennywood area. The ride itself is not themed, but the area around it has a beautiful turn of the 19th century theme with a ornate lake & fountains. A nice ride, but it is rarely crowded...As for Universal, I just don't believe they would give up such a hot commodity as Marvel Island (especially Spider Man) for just about anything. It has too much economic & promotional worth, plus, even more important, it checkmates their rival Disney in the Orlando marketfrom capitalizing on Marvel's success. I've never been a proponent of the Universal selling rights back to Disney crowd. The argument makes little sense.
August 14, 2012 at 12:57 PM · Totally agree with Universal keeping Marvel Island. Love Disney, but I don't think they can do Spiderman and the rest of the character type rides justice as Universal has. I believe they are already building a Transformers ride in UO. Batman would be the next logical step for Universal, if they can get it. Would LOVE to see what they could do with that!
August 15, 2012 at 1:02 AM · I have to say i'm quite relieved by this.
Whilst the thought of what Disney Imagineering could achieve with the Marvel license is a really exciting one. I love Marvel Super Hero Island and don't think I could take losing both the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man and Jaws in the same year. Those two rides were the reason i became such a Theme Park obsessive.
August 15, 2012 at 3:40 PM · The removal of Perilous Plunge is the best news I've heard all week.
Thank GOODNESS!
August 19, 2012 at 10:03 AM · As far as Perilous Plunge and most any of those oval shaped splash rides...... waste of space. It's being very generous to call something that goes up a hill as soon as you leave the station....around a curve.... down a hill to a big splash.... and then back around a curve to the station again.... a ride. You may as well just take a shower and call that a ride.
August 19, 2012 at 10:09 AM · Wait, for the sake of being more accureate....Perilous Plunge is shaped like an eight.... not an oval like many of the other splash boat rides..... so it is an eight shaped waste of space.

Compare this type of ride to most any other ride that actually seems to go somewhere and do something and it seems like there is little adventure involved to the ride at all. And don't even think to compare it to something epic like Splash Mountain.... as you might fall into a deep depression if your local park still has one of these splash boat rides wasting space that could be taken up by something way cooler.

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