Pacific Rim:Shatterdome Strike

Super 8 Haunted Mansion

When the crypt doors creak
And the tombstones quake
Spooks come out for a singing wake
Happy haunts materialize
And begin to vocalize
Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize

Haunted House at Camden Park

There was once a time where haunted houses had a charm to them that they just don't have anymore. It's hard not to see this commercial and not want to drop by Camden Park to ride the Haunted House. Obviously the perfect thing to do this Halloween season. You might just end up riding with the Wolfman! What happened to the guy? He was wearing a different outfit, so he couldn't have changed into the Wolfman. So... did the Wolfman kill him before taking his place and date? She seemed pretty happy about it. Who could blame her? The Wolfman was dressed pretty sharp. Bet the other guy smelled like farts.

Jurassic Park River Adventure

I've been paying a little extra attention to the developments to the Jurassic Park sections of Universal Studios in recent months. It's no secret that the Jurassic Park ride in the California park has been under renovations since around last fall. The ride is old, older than the movie at development (if you look at the screens behind John Hammond when he's talking to Dr. Malcom, Dr. Grant, and Dr. Sattler about the park some of the pics are of the ride). Despite regular refurbishments, it's an older ride in a theme park chain that does a lot of refreshing.

The California ride is getting converted into a Jurassic World ride which by all appearances seems to be an upgrade of the original ride. I have no complaints, it's an modern upgrade and not a replacement. That's good. What I do feel conflicted about is the Orlando Jurassic Park in Islands of Adventure. The ride is under regular refurbishment at the time (it's a water ride, winter is a good time) and the construction walls are up for the construction of the new JP roller coaster, which I also have no problem with (hoping it's a clone of the Japan JP's coaster). Some folks are upset that it will change the visual of the Discovery Center, but that's not that big of a deal to me. I've been following this story on theme park blogs that get inside information and ever since the news broke, I was ok with it. I mean, the visual from across the lagoon at Port of Entry is the center, Mythos, and Hogwarts Castle with the Incredible Hulk coaster to the side. Another roller coaster isn't going to change much and might even look more cool.

My concern is the ongoing rumor that the Jurassic Park Orlando area is going to be converted into Jurassic World as the coaster has the JW symbol on the walls (not to mention Blue in the section already). This seems like a silly thing to be concerned with (and it is), and hypocritical as I didn't care about California (which it is). My beef is that unlike California's JP section, in Orlando it's all part of a themed land and not just a ride. A themed land meant to resemble the park as it's seen in the first movie which is pretty different looking than in JW. The River Adventure is based on a scene from the original novel that's visual is excellently directly themed from the original movie. The Discovery Center is identical to the one in the original movie. The parks look different in the movies, refacing it could clash thematically.

Universal Creative is really good at what they do, and their themed lands are amazingly accurate. So I have no doubt that they'll do a good job. Perhaps they'll even spruce the rest of the land up to match the overall look. It's not much of a stretch as the parks restaurant area visual in Jurassic World is obviously based on City Walk as is. Just the fit and finish needs to be fitted and finished to make a complete package. That's my only and main concern. I don't want hodge podge in what was a really good recreation of the original park. If it is, it is and I'm sure it'll still be amazing.

Kind of want a turkey leg now.

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man commercial (1999)

Just spent some mental time today reflecting on this great ride.

Halloween Things

Yes I know it's a little early for Halloween Horrorcon to present itself here in Zone Base, but bear with me here. My beloved Universal Studios has announced they will have Stranger Things haunted mazes this year at Halloween Horror Nights. That's seriously awesome. Stranger Things is my current favorite show and after two seasons might join the ranks of my all time favorite shows. I've been on the band wagon of if USO ever was to remove the E.T Adventure, that re-themeing it to be a Stranger Things attraction would be awesome. I and others of my generation may love E.T, but it's obvious that others aren't as interested and as the other parks have removed their E.T rides, the clock in ticking on USO (literally the ride is there because Steven Spielberg wants it there) to pull the trigger one day.

As Stranger Things is steeped in a pseudo Steven Spielberg 80's movie setting full of horror references, I'd imagine the que in the woods and woods part of the ride would fit right on in. It's already kinda scary as it is, and some reworking of the government vehicles into Hawkins Laboratory vehicles wouldn't take too much. Hell, really riding those bikes through the woods and being confronted by the police and agents could almost translate directly into a Stranger Things theme. Just work in some new dialog and random bits and bobs. Perhaps even some voice clips of characters calling for Will and or Eleven. Man, some animatronic Demogorgon encounters in those woods would be great.

The scene where the bikes fly over the city would need to be reworked, which I imagine would be a good place to work in entering the research facility and that portal through space to the Green Planet would be the show stopper where you go inside the Upside Down with more Demogorgons and a showdown with the Mind Flayer before getting whisked away to safety of the real world again.

I can literally hear that great theme music playing in my head as I imagine it. The gift shop could be a mix of Stranger Things merchandise and assorted horror merch. I should stop before I get myself too excited.

Don't look at me like that.

Nara Nara Dreamland Haunted Witch Cave

RUN.