Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Grand Re-Opening Weekend!

It's been awhile, time consumed by finals (EKK!), and a trip to Disney World and Star Wars Weekends (yeah!), but back to Worlds of Fun we must always go. So with three weeks off Jeff and I headed back to Worlds of Fun for the Grand Opening of Planet Snoopy and the Grand Carousel. Since we had a wedding to attend later that day we only spent about two hours at the park, so the report will be slightly brief. But hey.




After a great breakfast provided by the park, and with everyone lined up for the quick parade to Planet Snoopy... I had to check out the carousel. It was officially drool worthy. A couple of quick comments. For its grand re-opening, the carousel didn't sport its band organ. I did however check on the progress of said band organ. From what Brandon tells me it is being restored by an older gentlemen, that seems to take longer and longer each time the park checks on the band organs status... Sounds about right. :)

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The first new Planet Snoopy attraction to open was these tini-tea cups. Woodstock's Whirlybirds.


A new ride for this weekend, that miraculously was finished in time! Peanuts 500. Peanuts 500 is actually a smaller, but from a rider's experience, remarkably similar version of the old early 20th century W.B. Mangel's Whip. Which looks like this...

Just goes to show that no good ride every really dies.


Last new thing in Planet Snoopy is the nice little snack stand. Which has no. name.


In other news... landscaping is seeing some changes through the park. Not all necessarily bad. I know that landscaping is seriously hurting for staffing so I try to give them the benefit of the doubt. Even though there are some areas that seriously need some love (and de-weeding) In this photo though it looks like new palms were added... What I didn't even notice at first though is that there used to be trees there. Of course, I am never a fan of tree removal, but I guess sometimes its not always THAT bad. It does open up the area, and after all the addition of trees through the park seems to exceeding the removal...


Another recent "addition" is this signing proclaiming the Americana food court. Nice addition.

Other things at the park unfortunately weren't so nice. Not trying to kick a dead horse but I was SHOCKED when I saw/read about five rides being down on Saturday morning, Thunderhawk, Skyliner, Zulu, Timberwolf and Monsoon. A lot has been said about this, and man I don't mean to be debbie downer... but seriously?

Another thing is that music thing. I STILL have a hard time not grimacing when I hear the pop music in Scandinavia. To top that off its BAD pop music, like bad remakes of 1980's music, that should have STAYED in the 80's. Some of it having somewhat questionable lyrics. And we are still thinking that this music is somehow BETTER then what the park had before?

One thing is certain, Worlds of Fun never ceases to amaze in how well they can do in certain aspects of the park, and so ... not so well in other areas. Hopefully with new project construction winding down, the park can begin to concentrate on the rest of the park.

Oh... and BTW SOMEONE STOP THE RAIN.