Skipper

Jcent.com have just updated their pics of the construction work powering ahead on the Tower of Terror ride at Tokyo Disney Sea, and I dont think I have ever been more excited about an attraction that is still not due to open till September 2006!! http://www.jtcent.com/disneysea/american/amwtot.html My mind boggles to think of how the Oriental land Company will re-invent my favourite attraction of all time - the TOT at MGM. Just by looking at the concept artwork -which looks a bit like a highrise version of the Haunted Mansion at WDW They obviously aren't downgrading the attraction by following in the footsteps of Calfornia Adventure and the other tower in early construction phases at walt disney studios Paris (which will be a direct copy of the one in LA) and given the large amount of time still left remaining until the attraction opens I really think this will eclispe the original in Orlando. I cant wait to hear about the new features and effects combined with the exquisite themeing that the O.L.C invests in that will do this amazing concept justice. Anyone excited or have thoughts on this one??

In my dreams a B&M Dive coaster to the likes of Sheikra would look damn hot on the old TB sight. Its something completely different as well that would not be to the likes of anything else in Australia - pigs might fly as well! or a giga coaster would be adequate .

Thanks - Yeah that was the offical MG after party went from 12 midday till 8pm on the sunday. I wouldn't say I'm in the biz but Like I said before my friends put Toybox on and my flatmate is the head tech director for the party so sometimes I help out with stuff when needed and just socially I have gotten to know lots of people in the industry. for the record I actually manage a hotel. Its a pretty amazing event though - the production levels on all different aspects of the party are just out of control. I had a look at your website - would I know of anything you have been involved in?

I know the Oracle people from their amazing work at the old Frisky and more recentlyToybox parties at the Metro and most recently the bigtop at Luna Park The last job for Toybox at Luna Park- which some friends of mine put on was the biggest party job that Oracle have ever taken on and It was breathtaking - with more full colour oracles at full throttle than I have ever seen in one place in my life - see the attached pics.

Yes very true - they are just a rumour site but until we have cold hard facts to discuss I'm happy to speculate on the fodder, if it wasnt for the rumour mills/leaks we wouldn't have anything to discuss .

Thanks for posting that..very cool pic! of inside the tower The boys at Oracle -Paul Maslin in particular do amazing stuff - theyre lighting at Dance parties are phenomenal! - I LOVE their work!!!

Just found this on Screamscape... Its a rehash of whats on RCDB but it also gives away a bit more info on the track layout..... 2005 - Superman: The Ride - (3/25/05) Screamscape’s sources tell us that the ride will be an Intamin Rocket coaster and will start off the themed adventure in a Metropolis Subway station. The train will advance into another room where Lex Luthor appears and causes an earthquake. The train will attempt to escape on it’s own to no avail and upon entering the next room Superman will appear and “attach” himself to the back of the train, pushing you to the safety of the outdoors at around 100 mph in just 2 seconds where it will then climb up a large top-hat and into a set of camel back airtime hills before coming to an end. Construction should start fairly soon because the ride is hoping to be complete by September. Hmm... was hoping the layout was gonna be a bit more exciting than just a 40 metre tophat and some dips but I guess if you want to theme it with some dark ride show scenes ya cant have your cake and eat it too. I'm dreaming here but when I heard the storyline I couldn't help but think how cool it would be if the first part of the ride operated like Spiderman at IOA with the train rolling though the station etc with the chaotic scenes unfolding on the projection screens and moving sets- this style would also relieve the rider of any tacky lex luthor/superman animatronic characters that they could be subjected to otherwise. All good until the glasses fly off your face in the launch. :eek:

Ok so back to what this post is actually about - The Superman Ride! RCDB has just been updated with some new info in regards to the rides storyline.... Theme: The ride starts in a New York Subway where Lex Luthor appears and creates a earthquake. This earthquake causes a small launch into another room where Superman appears and takes the train to safety. This sounds fantastic with the dark ride aspect now coming to fruition - I'm just unsure how well it will be executed with only 12mill to spend for the whole ride.

Because It is a Travesty that an international destination such as Sydney does not have at least one world class theme park!! We need one!! and have the population to support one - maybe it wouldnt be comparable with the numbers at other disney parks but people would go and support it.

I think they will spend quite a while reviewing the different submissions - it could be months before we hear anything - lets hope thats not the case though!! I'm gonna call my friend in Imagineering to see if I can find out if Disney even placed a submission in the first place.

Mickey Mouse watch on west Western Sydney could house a new outpost of the Disney empire, with an amusement park and resort modelled on Disneyland. Disney said it was looking at international sites for a theme park, including 30 hectares at Prospect near Blacktown. "We are evaluating different markets around the world as part of our growth strategy," a spokeswoman for the US company said. However, the spokeswoman said that no decision had been made about the site, which the state government released for development as a zoo, water park or amusement park last monday. It was unlikely anything would be considered before September when Disney opened an amusement park in Hong Kong, she said. Last week, the Minister for Western Sydney, Diane Beamer invited expressions on interest in the Prospect site. She said documents had been sent out in answer to the 22 expressions of interest so far. "Expressions of interest closes on March 24 and the department will be assessing them from that date," she said. Ms Beamer had no comment on whether Disney had made one of those 22 requests. Bonnie Malkin I know it doesnt really say anything new but I say where theres smoke.... The journo must have some lead to be following this story through.....

for me it would have to be the Twilight Zone tower of Terror -MGM version - Amazing theming - a totally immersive experience and the mechanics of it astound me. could never get sick of this one!!

What is everyone's thoughts here on Hong Kong Disneyland?? Is anyone planning on checking it out after it opens this December?? apart from Space Mountain (styled on the same one in Anaheim) rumours suggest that it will be pretty devoid of "E ticket" type attractions and just be sticking to the kiddy stuff to the likes of the Teacups and Dumbo. I Think if you were going to do any Disney park in Asia Tokyo is the way to go - The Hong Kong version looks like its been built a bit too budget concious for my liking. I'd love to be proved wrong though!

USA Parks- Universal Islands of Adventure Orlando Universal Studios Orlando Disneyworld Magic Kingdom Orlando Disney MGM Studios Orlando Japan- Tokyo Disneyland Toshimaen Will be heading back to the states in May/June this year and plan on going to. Six Flags Magic Mountain Disneyland Anaheim Islands of adventure Typhoon Lagoon

It really just comes down to who you have working on your teams and how much freedom they have, not the Umbrella they are working under. Disney still rates highly to the untrained eye but it certainly does not have the high benchmark standard it used to. When Eisner started to cut costs and re-structure Imagineering using all the grace of a chainsaw by outsourcing alot of the work to develop, design and build attractions to outside companies the effect was devastating to the quality of the work that imagineering was known for. so instead of having all the work done in-house you suddenly had civil contractors who would be more at ease with builing car parks and freeways designing new buildings and attractions. This caused huge rifts in-house and alot of Disney's most talented Imagineers were sacked or they left in disgust and jumped ship to places like Universal etc. so all Im saying is the people responsible for some of Disney's most popular attractions certainly arent going to waste now that they arent with disney - they are adding they're magic now to new developments at Universal and alike and THIS is why the sands are shifting At one point anything that had the Disney name attatched to it had the Midas touch but look at California Adventure runnning at huge losses and then as an attempt to try something big to bring people into the park they decide to build a second Tower of Terror for the westcoast - the first one (my favourite attraction of all time) at MGM was built when disney's imagineering dept was running intact and the second one was built after the fall out and you should see how much of a dissapoitment it is with major parts of the ride taken out (such as the 4th dimension), And dont even get me started on the look of the building and the general themeing!! ok so I have gotten a bit carried away here but All I wanted to say is that dont always expect to see disney set the benchmark for how things should be because their loss in certain staff has been other parks gain. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Disney after once Eisners sucessor settles in.

Hey Adam, The part where you go backwards isnt a drop at all - its on a flat track, its towards the end of the ride and as your car enters into a burial chamber it stops on a turntable once you are in the center of a chamber - you spin around then then get launched backwards in another direction VERY fast!!

Revenge of The Mummy at Universal Studios Orlando. fast and smooth brilliant theming with some incredible and surpising effects such as the the false offloading station with the Roof bursting into flames and the backwards launch

Dreamworld - Cyclone Universal Islands Of Adventure - The Hulk Duelling Dragons (Fire and Ice) Universal Studios (Orlando)- Revenge of the Mummy Disney MGM Studios- Rock n Roller Coaster Disneyworld Magic Kingdom - Space Mountain Big Thunder Mountain All I can say is thank god for having the luxury to be able do do trips to the states!!!