Not Everybody Liked Honest Abe

Sometimes when I'm doing research for my "real job" in TV, I come across articles that cross over into the "Coaster Radio Universe."

It happened the other day when I found this old Chicago newspaper article from 1964.

When Walt Disney and his Imagineers created the "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" exhibit for the 1964 World's Fair, it was seen by most as a technological marvel.

It was widely praised by all who saw it and went a long way towards cementing Walt Disney's legacy as one of America's greatest entertainers.

Today, Disney fans across the world have come to see that moment as the birth of Audio Animatronics and beginning of Disney's mastery of theme park technology.

So it's interesting to read the op-ed by Mr. Lerner where he says that the exhibit was "tasteless" and an "amateurish mess."

He said that when the curtains opened, he saw what looked "like a dead man with a knife stuck in his back." He went on to complain about an "imperfectly timed sound track" and a "12-minute forgettable speech."

You'll have to read it for yourself, because there are a lot more complaints. Frankly, it's surprising because it's generally agreed upon by most historians that the "Great Moments" exhibit was a pivotal moment in entertainment history. It was easily the most popular exhibit at the World's Fair. The technology was so good, it led to attractions like "Pirates of the Caribbean" and other Disney theme park blockbusters

I don't bring this up because I think the author is at all right. I bring this up to show that no matter how great an accomplishment is, there will always be someone who doesn't think it's great.

I guess there's something we can all learn from that.

Talk about it in the CoasterRadio.com forums.

The numbers are in....

Last week, the Themed Entertainment Association and Economics Research Associates released their Attraction Attendance Report.

If you're interested in the business side of the amusement industry, it's a pretty interesting read. It's also fun to read if you're only interested in why the lines were longer at your favorite park.

There are a couple of interesting items in the report, but one that has my head spinning....

Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom is #1 in attendance for 2007 with 17,060,000 guests.

Wait a second.... if you divide that by 365 days, that means that the Magic Kingdom averaged 46, 739 guests per day. Is that even possible? I always thought that a crowded day at the park was when 25,000 people were in attendance.

I was also surprised to see Busch Gardens Europe beat out Cedar Point in pure attendance numbers. Although, BGE's attendance did jump 12.5% with the addition of Griffon. But Maverick wasn't too shabby of an addition either.

In the world of waterparks, I was also surprised that Disney's Typhoon Lagoon beat out Blizzard Beach in guest numbers. I suppose it could be because of the addition of Crush N' Gusher, but I always thought that Blizzard Beach was the more popular of the two.

Did anything in the report surprise you? Talk about it in the CoasterRadio.com forums!

Theme Park Diversions - Part 1 - Sea Raycers

There aren't many things that can pull me away from the Magic Kingdom. But one diversion that I have to try every time I'm in Orlando is piloting a Sea Raycer on the Seven Seas Lagoon.

For around $30, you can commandeer your own boat for 30 minutes of fast-paced action.

You don't really go that fast, but because the crafts are small, it seems like you're really moving along quickly.

Plus, the sights can't be beat. As you skip along the water, you can see Cinderella castle, Space Mountain, The Grand Floridian, the Contemporary Resort, the Monorail system as well as other Disney watercraft.

It always surprises me that people sleep on this activity. Just doing it once gets you addicted!

Have you tried the Sea Raycers? Talk about it in the CoasterRadio.com forums.