>>>Unless there is more to it than meets the eye when we ride it, they way overpaid for the ride system if that is true.<<<
Its a Mack powered coaster. The ride speed and time is infinitely variable, which means that the ride vehicles can change speed and direction at any time, any place, randomly if the ride operator so fits to implement that feature. The ride system won't be randomized, and it probably won't go backwards (during normal operation anyway), but it will be using to variable speed feature to a large extent. Of course, this ride is not like Mummy and won't feature high speed launches, but the technology behind it is definitely on the same scale as Mummy.
The $40 million figure may include the retro-fitting of the existing ride track (they had to remove a lot of cross beams to allow for height clearance on the new vehicles), I'll have to look it up. The final cost for the ride and Suess renovation (the entire area is being completely repainted and repaved, no expense spared and no stone left unturned) is actually above what the resort spent for ROTM. It will be a good ride.
I think the new fireworks show at USF will be the real star this summer though. That show has a lot of potential. Like, Reflections of Earth-level potential. Maybe they won't blow it.
On the subject of Uni's attendance, I don't think the overall state of the resort has been documented well enough. Management has been screwing up out there left and right. The place is a shell of what it once was three or four years ago. Employee morale, guest service, maintenance - it has all gone to hell. It needs a Six Flags-caliber shake up, and FAST. It is not so much GE that is mis-managing the park. Yes, they complain about capital expenditures, but they really don't care how the resort is operated as long as it posts a profit. The problem is that the resort probably won't post a profit this year, and it will not recover from the attendance freefall until major, major, major renovations and attractions are added across the board (don't think in terms of NEW attractions and facilities, think about what is currently operating that is a total waste. Fear Factor, Earthquake, BTTF, they need to be replaced NOW).
>>>Disney is getting a bigger bang for its buck with DCA than Universal is with IOA.<<<
It is only because it is right next door to Disneyland though. The only time DCA's attendance is high is when it is offered free with a Disneyland ticket or when they have a major annual passholder event. DCA's average attendance is around 10-13k a day. On a busy day with spillover from Disneyland that goes up to 19-24k. The lower end of that average is slightly above what each of Universal Orlando's parks get on a slow to mid day. Both parks get far more than that on a peak day. The only advantage is that Disney spent less on the surrounding resort facilities at DLR (and it shows). Disneyland still draws what it did before anything was built around it.
