TPS Report
Freestyle Music Park
(formerly Hard Rock Park)
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Huh. That looks like Maximum RPM, but it can't be...
It's working...
Not only was Round About working, it seemed to be working
consistently throughout our visit to the park. In fact, nearly everything
was working throughout our visit (only Soak'd was down, but we did see testing)
I can't believe I waited over an hour to ride this last year.
Don't get me wrong - it's fun, but it's nothing breathtaking.
It bothers me that this was the longest line I've ever waited in.
Underground got to keep its name, which is cool.
The London Cab Ride has been given the
new moniker of
"McGillvray Cab Company." Bad rename, I think.
Never
give something a name that isn't easily pronounceable.
Carnaby Street Cafe is now Penny Lane's Cafe.
I'm guessing the days of go-go dancers on that balcony are over.
All The King's Horses is now Carnaby Carousel.
It doesn't sound like they're doing the cool musical trick
where
the music playing around the carousel is changed to carousel-type
music for the ride. I also noticed the steel drums weren't utilized in
the Myrtle's Beach section. Maybe the former guys played the IP
card on that (and if they did, then I guess they never saw the "Live
and Let Die" bit in Grosse Pointe Blank...)
Roadie's Stunt Show is now CSI: Live. I don't know if
I'll be
rushing to watch a live version of a show I don't care about.
Last year, a lot of these power boxes had rock-lyric oriented
stickers
on them. Those are all gone.
Everything up to this point has just been me pointing out
small changes.
Now we're going to have to get a little more serious and talk about the
replacement for Nights in White Satin.
I'm referring of course to Monstars of Rock, The Ride (not to
be confused with Monstars of Rock, the IMAX Experience).
I was never a huge fan of Nights In White Satin. It was
one of those
rides that didn't work completely, yet somehow managed to keep me
entertained everytime. Yes, even the enormously pompous
spoken-word section (god, what a pretentious damn song).
But folks, I've seen Monstars of Rock and let me tell you...
It makes Nights in White Satin look like the Amazing fucking Adventures of Spider-Man.
Now, it's entirely possible that they may have a lot more to
add to this
attraction. As it happens there are HUUGE spaces of black
wall between most of these scenes. They have room to work with. New stuff popped in on Nights in White Satin every time
we visited.
But the baseline of the ride isn't terribly good, and I'm
not sure what you can add that would make it better.
That said, I understand that this thing had to come together FAST.
If more is indeed to come,
I have to question opening it at all in
this early a stage. One chance, first impressions, etc.
I believe this is the one section of the ride where the
characters actually move.
I could go check the video to make sure, but
I don't want to risk losing any
more brain cells. I guess it's okay for kids, but I don't want this park
to strive for just "okay."
All the 3D stuff from Nights is gone, so the walls have been painted using what appears to be chroma-key green.
Oh, by the way, the queue for Monstars of Rock is WAY too dark. I've been in better lit buildings at Halloween Horror Nights.
And by the way by the way, the cool tunnel in the queue is gone...