The Blog Flume Filter for June 6, 2013

June 6, 2013, 3:13 PM · Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom – The last piece of track for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train roller coaster was just slotted into place. So if you were hoping that the Disney villains who'd kept the "New Fantasyland" from our sight all these 40-some years also had hidden a 500-foot hyper-drop on this coaster, well, it looks as though you're going to be disappointed.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Photo courtesy Disney

Though I suppose we don't yet know what we'll find inside that mountain. Maybe Snow White going all Tony Montana on us: "Say hello to my little friend."

SeaWorld Orlando – SeaWorld tomorrow will raise the price of its one-day ticket to $92, following Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World, which recently raised their ticket prices.

What will SeaWorld buy with its extra cash? Apparently, more netting to contain the penguins in its new Antarctica habitat. It's not just our friend who jumped last week. Apparently, as many as seven penguins per day were bolting from the enclosure and going out for slushie drinks. Since the netting was installed, we've heard rumors that SeaWorld employees have confiscated several small knives, a tiny hack saw, half a dozen razor blades, and an acetylene torch. Perhaps bringing in those penguins named Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private wasn't the best move, after all.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Star Wars Weekend has one last weekend before Snig and Oopla are resigned back to the production trailer to start working on next year’s Hoopla. Good luck! In the meantime, here is a familiar voice that was featured this year at Star Wars Weekend.

Disneyland – Sometimes it is nice to remember that you don’t go to the Disney parks just for the rides.

Disney’s Grand Floridian – Victoria & Albert’s Down-Home Burger and Vittles Restaurant just received its five-diamond rating for this year, an accomplishment only attained by 53 restaurants in the United States. In Europe, they give this award out like it is candy to even the most roach infested street vendor, but apparently it’s really rare for a US restaurant to receive it. So take that, Gordon Ramsay!

Kings Island – While this news is confusing in the extreme, it looks like we have a name, make, and model of the new coaster going into Kings Island. The new B&M Wing Coaster will be named Banshee. This doesn’t make any sense at all, since three parks within 300 miles all have Wing Coasters already.

Cedar Point – We are starting to get word already about the next new ride at The Point. Can anyone say: “dark ride”? For those of you not really into the whole “characters” thing…this is why we go to theme parks.

Universal Studios Hollywood - Want to be a theme park designer? Here's your chance to create a character that will be featured at this year's Halloween Horror Nights. Universal is inviting fans to create a new character, based on one of the classic Universal monsters. Entries must be submitted by July 1, and voting will begin on HHN's Facebook page on July 2 to select the winner from among the finalists. The winning designer gets a trip for two to the opening of Halloween Horror Nights in Hollywood this fall to see the debut of the character. Here are the details [PDF] -- good luck!

Replies (7)

June 6, 2013 at 4:53 PM · We've been at the MK all day and we can say that new fantasyland is a hige bomb unless you're 5 and female. What a waste $10.00 for apple juice/ butter beer rip off and transporting California's most boring ride in mermaid. Will smith and his son might as well be here to preside over this tanker.
June 7, 2013 at 8:03 AM · I don't like how the cast member dressed as the Mad Hatter pushes the cast member dressed as Alice; too rough.
June 6, 2013 at 5:34 PM · I'm still laughing at the Sea World penguin satire. Excellent article Jeff.
June 7, 2013 at 12:50 AM · It's time to start a "Free the Penguins" campaign.
June 7, 2013 at 11:31 AM · Loved the pranks video. Great stuff. And Daniel, that Mad Hatter doesn't have the strength to hurt a fly! Above all, though, Alice is beautiful. ;)

Is that Cedar Point video new? If so, how can they still be calling themselves the "Coaster Capital of thew World"? Same way Six Flags Saint Louis continues to bill itself as an "amusement park", I guess.

June 7, 2013 at 12:49 PM · Mad Hatter and Alice video was very funny. Those are two people that really seem to enjoy there jobs!!
June 8, 2013 at 6:17 PM · Love the Mad Hatter video. I actually LOLed. Looks like that guy loves his job.

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