Theme Park Nut News Update - 29th September 2015

It's only been a short week since our last update, but here is another short theme park nut news update!

As we mentioned last week, Halloween festivities are well and truly underway in the US. Last week, we focused on the Universal events in both California and Florida. This week Disneyland in California has had more focus, with articles on Theme Park Insider for Mickey's Halloween Party and Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay. I am particularly fond of the Holiday overlay of Haunted Mansion, because it uses one of my favourite movies as it's source: Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas.

Speaking of overlays with movies that I love, the Star Wars overlay of Space Mountain, Hyperspace Mountain has been given a November opening. This means we get to enjoy some Star Wars fun just in time for the new movie, which is coming out this December. It also means that the parks will be able to celebrate Star Wars on one side of the park before they even start building Star Wars land on the other side of the park. That Star Wars build sounds as if it is going to take a few attractions in the Big Thunder Ranch area, with predictions that they will be down for at least a year!

Over at WDW, there has been a movement to shut down the third party reservation sites, that have been clogging up the Advanced Dining Reservation system at the site. This is good, since any opportunity that Disney can give to make it fair for the everyday visitor is a good thing.

Last week we reported that Comcast was looking to buy a controlling share in the Universal Studios Japan resort. This week, we find out that it has paid $1.5 Billion for a 51% share. I think that is good news all round.

Honestly this has nothing to do with Theme Parks, but the Florida Mall in Orlando has just opened a ThinkGeek shop. That's just cool!

In the UK, it has been said that Alton Towers is considering re-opening the Smiler roller coaster after it's June accident, that resulted in a number of very serious injuries. It has been reported that they have been discussing the re-opening of the ride with the victims of the accident, who (not suprisingly) haven't been that excited to hear it may re-open. It was always a question of when not if the Smiler would re-open given the cause of the accident, but it is still something that has to handled sensitively.

In Australia, at Sea World on the Gold Coast, the Nickelodeon Land has opened! Just in time for the school holidays! It looks really neat and I'm impressed that Sea World has spent so much getting this area ready.

Elsewhere in Australia, not a lot has been happening. There was a minor incident on the Tailspin ride at Dreamworld, where one of the plains was reportedly stuck upside down this weekend.

For more Theme Park coverage, follow me on Twitter @themeparknut. Until next week, Cheers!