Meanwhile at USH this weekend...

TP2000

TP2000

Well-Known Member
@brb1006 thank you so much for sharing those 1980 birthday ads with us! What a unique glimpse into another era when Disneyland and Knott's had a friendly rivalry but a gentleman's agreement to help each other.

As an old Magic Kingdom Club member back then, I personally remember the ad that @Dr. Hans Reinhardt posted above, but those two ads you shared I'd never seen before. Fantastic!

Funny how the corporate world of humorless cubicle drones and their MBA overlords that inhabit TDA in the 2010's could never be that neighborly or classy today.
 
Rich T

Rich T

Well-Known Member
Back in the '70's, Disneyland would close in the off-season on Mondays and Tuesdays (so hard to imagine now!) and Knott's would close on Wednesdays and Thursdays. They cooperated so nicely! :D

Knott's used to be a wonderful park (free admission at one time!) with the most believable, atmospheric Ghost Town experience imaginable. I still think their log ride is the best ever, better than Splash Mtn. (the layout, caves, and speed/motion of the logs are just more fun)-- an absolutely perfect ride. And Calico Mine is one of the most unique rides anywhere (in a good way). I haven't been since Cedar Fair took over and pop-cultured the place.
 
Last edited:
Phroobar

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
Curious Constance said:
What exactly was that?
Click to expand...
It's a show at Universal Studios back in the 90's. They would pick people from the audience and put them in costume. The "actors" stand in front of a blue screen and read lines off cue cards. The show is edited and the audience gets to watch the video. They do this in about a half hour.

Universal did similar shows in the past like ones based on Airport 77 and the Blues Brothers.
 
Phroobar

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
The Blues Brothers (aka Screen Test Comedy Theater) was the best one. People got to dress up as Jake & Elwood Blues. There were cowboys and Indians, a sinking row boat and the Keystone cops. There was even a huge pie fight at the end. I remember it used a large number of people and everyone got dirty!

 
Curious Constance

Curious Constance

Well-Known Member
phruby said:
It's a show at Universal Studios back in the 90's. They would pick people from the audience and put them in costume. The "actors" stand in front of a blue screen and read lines off cue cards. The show is edited and the audience gets to watch the video. They do this in about a half hour.

Universal did similar shows in the past like ones based on Airport 77 and the Blues Brothers.
Click to expand...
Why would anyone in the audience, other than family members/friends, care about seeing random strangers in a video?
 
Phroobar

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
The audience watches it being filmed live. No one knows how each scene will fit together. Then everyone sees the edited show with the stock footage added. I think only the participants could buy the finished video at the end.
 
Rich T

Rich T

Well-Known Member
I worked at Universal during the debut of Screen Test Comedy Theater. A coworker and I got to walk around the park as Jake and Elwood on opening day. The show was pretty clunky. I watched it several times as they kept tweaking it, but the only laugh it ever really got from the audience was the very end when they showed a film clip of Bruce the Shark getting a giant pie in the face.
 
George Lucas on a Bench

George Lucas on a Bench

Well-Known Member
Actually, the Screen Test Home Video Adventure in Florida was different than the one in Hollywood. There was no live audience. You payed to be in the short movie and filmed in front of bluescreen with a director. Then you got the VHS tape! There were two in Florida, the Star Trek Adventure and one where you go all around the park experiencing all the attractions. We did both! Sadly, the place where this used to be was consumed by the Mummy's queue line. Just to the left of the Mummy (AKA Kongfrontation) building is where it was. So the stupid Mummy ride replaced two classic USF attractions.
 
yookeroo

yookeroo

Well-Known Member
Curious Constance said:
Why would anyone in the audience, other than family members/friends, care about seeing random strangers in a video?
Click to expand...

phruby said:
The audience watches it being filmed live. No one knows how each scene will fit together. Then everyone sees the edited show with the stock footage added. I think only the participants could buy the finished video at the end.
Click to expand...

Yeah. This was a time before DVD extras, making-of shows, Youtube etc. How movies were made wasn't quite as understood. A little peek at the process was interesting and entertaining.
 
TP2000

TP2000

Well-Known Member
It's been 10 days since the splashy big-budget Harry Potter grand opening, spring has sprung in SoCal and it's sparkling cloudless sunshine and 82 very dry degrees this afternoon, with a lovely breeze. Here are current wait times this Sunday afternoon at 3:30pm from the various official wait time apps...

Universal Studios 9am to 9pm
Forbidden Journey - 15 Minutes
Hippogriff Coaster - 5 Minutes
Jurassic Park - 15 Minutes
Despicable Me - 15 Minutes
Tram Tour - 10 Minutes (last tram at 7:45)

Disney California Adventure 8am to 9pm
Radiator Springs Racers - 120 Minutes
Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters - 50 Minutes
Grizzly River Run - 110 Minutes
Midway Mania - 45 Minutes
Monsters Inc. - 30 Minutes

Take that info how you will.

I still think that Universal's marketing team is going to have another uncomfortable Monday afternoon meeting tomorrow.
 
BrianLo

BrianLo

Well-Known Member
TP2000 said:
It's been 10 days since the splashy big-budget Harry Potter grand opening, spring has sprung in SoCal and it's sparkling cloudless sunshine and 82 very dry degrees this afternoon, with a lovely breeze. Here are current wait times this Sunday afternoon at 3:30pm from the various official wait time apps...

Universal Studios 9am to 9pm
Forbidden Journey - 15 Minutes
Hippogriff Coaster - 5 Minutes
Jurassic Park - 15 Minutes
Despicable Me - 15 Minutes
Tram Tour - 10 Minutes (last tram at 7:45)

Disney California Adventure 8am to 9pm
Radiator Springs Racers - 120 Minutes
Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters - 50 Minutes
Grizzly River Run - 110 Minutes
Midway Mania - 45 Minutes
Monsters Inc. - 30 Minutes

Take that info how you will.

I still think that Universal's marketing team is going to have another uncomfortable Monday afternoon meeting tomorrow.
Click to expand...

I think we're witnessing the first theme park to hit the price ceiling. The one day ticket prices are obscene, but all other parks have the benefit of people using AP's or multi-day, multi-park tickets. Unlike other resorts, you aren't driven to buy much more than a single day.

This is bad to say... but I really hope this is the case. Someone has to hit the price ceiling to make the other companies pump the breaks.

At least with demand pricing they can quickly retreat a lot of days away from the 'ceiling'.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom