Retro digital photo essays from DisneyFans.com. Home of the Universal Orlando Resort Garden Walk maps.
In a previous article, I asked if anyone knew where you could still find a reference to the Royal Hanneford Circus inside the park:
This was from a sign you pass on Dragon Island going to Outlaw Gulch:
Since the first article was posted, the reference has since been removed:
So today’s question is … where else can you find remnants of Royal Hanneford Circus? There are still a few out there . . . but maybe not where/what you think 😉
Answer (or guesses) in the comments.
On Saturday, July 1, 2017, the Tornado was closed:
At first, I thought this was because it was too windy. I have been told they close the ride on windy days because too much wind can keep the coaster from making it one of the hills. Later I found out that the coaster had been down for awhile.
Also during the day, G-Force was still being worked on:
Later in the day, folks posted in the Facebook Group that both of these rides have returned to operation. Huzzah!
The Underground also was down for awhile during the day, but I was told this was because Bad Bob had finally blown up the mine shaft. The ride would be resuming as soon as they got the rubble out of the way 😉
If you are planning a visit to the park for a specific ride, be sure to contact them first before driving out. Otherwise, you can check on the sign at the front entrance – it clearly lists any ride not operating that day:
Get well soon, rides!
In the Facebook group, Joey Hayes reports that work is being done on the G-Force ride today. He submitted this photo:
According to a member of park management, it sounds like this is just routine maintenance that needs to be done every eight years or so.
G-Force was added to the park in 1997. It was originally located outside where the Scrambler currently sits. After the side of Main Street burnt down in 2010, the park rebuilt it and moved the G-Force indoors. You can read more about it on the Adventurelandians Wiki:
Adventureland has announced that this year’s July 4th fireworks will begin at approximately 9:40 p.m. on July 4, 2017 (weather permitting).
I’ve seen the fireworks a number of times over the years, and it’s always a nice show – usually larger than what the various local communities can offer. In past years, when Adventureland held it’s fireworks on the same night that nearby Prairie Meadows did their’s, they seemed to coordinate. Adventureland’s show would go, then as soon as it was over, the casino would begin it’s show — allowing guests in the park a two-for-one show just by facing a different direction 🙂
Here is the nearly 25-minute show from 2016, which included speakers set up all along the River City/Boulevard area to play patriotic music:
The fireworks are launched from near the Raging River loading area. During the day, you can see it from the line:
The best viewing area is in River City, though you should be able to see theme from any area not obstructed by buildings or trees. The music, however, can only be heard from the Boulevard/River City area.
In 2016, the park also added new colorful LED lights to the Monster roller coaster and Space Shot. The crew at KCL Engineering that did the installs also created special July 4th light shows:
Neat, eh?
To give you an idea at how much more the park does these days, here is the show from 2009:
And here it is from 2008:
I wasn’t able to visit the park from 2010-2015, so I have no recordings of those years. I don’t know when the park added music to the show. I may have some earlier fireworks recordings on tape somewhere (I took my first digital camcorder to the park in 1999), but I have never posted them. Maybe I’ll have some even older fireworks videos to share next year…
Adventureland is owned and operated by the Krantz family. You can regularly find the Krantz siblings, Mike (CEO), Matt, Molly (Director of Advertising) and John (President), roaming the park.
Resort president John Krantz can also be found behind a piano at various locations around Des Moines. He performs jazz music. We recently had the pleasure to listen to him perform with Bryan Schumacker and special guest Brooke Peters at Louie’s Wine Dive.
If you have an interest in live jazz, check out his website and make an effort to go hear him perform: http://www.johnkrantzmusic.com/
In a previous article, I mentioned the conversion from Royal Hanneford Circus to the new Adventureland Circus, and noted that even the opening show guides still listed the old circus:
There does seem to be one Royal Hanneford remnant still in the park…
Do you know where this is? Answer in the comments 🙂
A new featured funnel cake for the week… Maple Bacon.
I’m still bummed I missed out on the red velvet funnel cake. But bacon will work. 🙂
As noted earlier this week by Dee and Anna on the Facebook group, two dinosaurs have appeared on the grounds of The Monster roller coaster. They are very difficult to see from ground level.
You can see this velociraptor (?) near the corner of Chicken Shack:
Seeing it behind the barbed wire seems very Jurassic Park-ish.
If you go down a bit further, you can catch a glimpse of this triceratops (?):
To get a better look, Dee and Anna took photos from the nearby Storm Chaser:
The Sky Ride is probably an easier way to see them, so that’s what we tried. Traveling from the County Fair station, you can see them as soon as you get near The Monster.
Here’s a closer look.
And he has a friend…
He’s ready for his close-up.
Coming from the other direction, or by doing a technique called “turning around,” you can see his better side.
Here’s a look at both of them.
A friend of mine, Kevin, who works with magician Ben Ulin posted that he heard these dinosaurs were in storage at the park for awhile, and they just decided to set them out.
Very neat.
What other surprises are lurking in the park this year?
The recently re-opened Raging River was down today. Christian E. in the Facebook group reports that the conveyor belt wasn’t working.
The G-Force has also been down lately, but I don’t have any details on why.
The Inverter remains closed.
Facebook group member Joey Hayes posted an update on Monday about the Raging River. This white water rafting ride recently opened for the season after a rehab. When it first opened, it was reported that some of the waterfalls were not yet turned on.
Today, Joey confirmed that they are back…
I have ridden many white water rafting rides over the years, including the very first one that ever was built at Astroworld in Houston, Texas. I have often been quite lucky at staying dry while all the others in my raft got drenched… but these waterfalls put an end to such “luck.”
Thanks, Joey, for this update.