Westworld Editorials

Westworld Editorials.

This town will never be the same.

RE-IMAGINING THEME PARK ADVENTURE

God, I typed our that title and all I could think of was the old America Sings building sitting dormant for years in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. Thankfully, while we re-envision Theme Park Adventure, I can assure you that it won't take what - what was it for the Sings building - 87 million years? No, the vision is set in place and the wheels are already set in motion here. The transformation (though not drastic) is already underway.

For those who have been with us for a long time - since the beginning in 1994 - there are very definitive phases that TPA's gone through. From a newsletter to a BBS; from a Web site to printed books. We've evolved and changed over the years to keep up with what our fans and friends want from a theme park-related site. It's not always gone as we intended, but all in all, it's been a very successful run.

Back in the day, Theme Park Adventure emerged as a very opinionated, edgy source of theme park news and information that fans around the world really took to. In addition, theme parks and executives took notice as well, because we not only presented our ideas and reviews thoughtfully and respectfully, we also weren't afraid to call it like we saw it. That earned us a lot of respect from our readers and industry movers and shakers alike. The point of this isn't to fluff ourselves.

The point is, we have lost that edge over the past several years and I have become very unhappy with what I feel has become an incredibly run-of-the-mill theme park site with few things new or interesting with the exception of our Halloween Haunt coverage and the reports that Scott and Carol Holmes provide our readers. Over the years, the once-mighty Theme Park Adventure has become a sleepy portal where we simply re-post spoon-fed press releases and media photos for the masses to consume.

And that isn't right at all. When I say we were once mighty, I mean that. Theme Park Adventure was the first "fan publication" that was recognized as credible media and invited to a major press event (the three-day media event/opening of the Indiana Jones Adventure). TPA was the first fan publication/site that was accepted by Knott's management when we wanted to cover Knott's Scary Farm for more than a weather segment or a small blurb on page 287 of a local newspaper. In turn, we were the first outside media source that the Haunt family embraced and brought into their inner circle.

Everything fell into place after that - details that I don't need to get into. Needless to say, we haven't been around for nearly 13 years by being satisfied with mediocrity. In my opinion, we've gone from being a leader to being a follower. And that, friends, is no good at all.

I am pleased with our annual Haunt coverage - although it appears to be more and more of a challenge for our reviews to get up in a timely manner. I am the sole force behind those individual pieces because I am a control freak (i.e. Scott and Carol maintain their own page whenever and however they want and tell me when they have updated it). So, I have to find the time - and it takes a LOT of time - to create each individual review, edit the photos, etc. The result is a longer and longer time in finishing - which honestly, frustrates the living hell out of me personally. I joke about how long the Haunt reviews take to roll out - but when folks comment, it is a barb in my side because I know it takes me too damned long. Juggling a full-time job at Excalibur here in Las Vegas, being a husband and being a daddy to an amazingly active four year-old little girl and just living life in general while trying to manage TPA is hard. Throw in my sick addiction to World of Warcraft, and I am completely screwed. There is never enough time in my day to get everything done that I want to do.

One thing that has been nagging at me for the past several months is how ordinary Theme Park Adventure's become. We do have the best readers and most devoted fans in the world - that constant has never changed. But the content has become boring and uninspiring. Anyone can cut and paste press releases from theme park media sites and slap them into a web site. That's relaying news and information. And, to a point, it does provide a service that has its place on the Internet. That's not what we are, though - it's never been what we were. Yet, we've slipped into those waters as I have been distracted and asleep at the helm. The fault lies squarely on my shoulders. Thank God for Scott and Carol as well as our love of Halloween Haunt - because everything else here pretty much bites.

As I have said, we have the best readers in the world. Unfortunately, I believe for every one that attends TPA meets or posts on the Message Board, there are many who simply look around for a few minutes and then leave, moving on to the next fan site online. I firmly believe that we've lost our hook, if you will. Not totally - but damn close. To be quite honest, I posted a message to my staff about a week or so ago that I was seriously considering throwing in the towel. Done. Fin. The End.

That's not the answer, though; we have all worked much too hard at this to simply close shop and let it all fade away. That is what what TPA is. That is not what TPA's story is to become.

So, I have been meditating heavily on things. There are some changes coming that you will see soon. I'd like to share some of my vision of how we're going to bring Theme Park Adventure back up to the standard that our readers have come to expect. These are some of the changes that you will see in play as we re-claim the top spot in the theme park community amongst fans and executives once again...

Fewer company-written press releases. Very few. In fact, say goodbye to the Park Directory page. It will soon be eliminated from the site along with most of the pages it routes readers to. On paper, a massive park directory page seemed like a great idea - you find the state you're interested in, look through the drop-down menu for your favorite park and there ya have it - the latest news and images from that park! It is a great concept IF you're content with nothing but spoon-fed material. It also only works if people at these parks actually continuously send you updated material. That never happens - most of the time, parks tell you, "Come check out our news site for the latest releases; we don't have time to send you email or story information/ideas." All of us involved with TPA have too much to do in our lives than hunt around the Internet for information to promote someone's park. If a park wants our attention, they will ask for it - and they will involve us like they once did. This isn't arrogant - it's the way business works. We are not going to knock ourselves out to provide media coverage for a park that is too busy to drop us a line or invite us to a media event. When we're wanted, it's very clear. Universal makes it clear, Knott's makes it clear and other companies make it clear; it's not some delusion of grandeur. This is the way it once was - and this is the way it will be again.

Fewer park-supplied photos. If someone at a park that we regularly work with sends us something totally kick ass, we will use it going forward. However, the days of park-supplied shots are over for the most part. If a park wants pictures of their rides and attractions on TPA, we will be invited to take them ourselves - and we will, just like we always have. It's the original, exclusive shots that our readers love and have come to expect. That is exactly what we will provide from now on.

Original stories and reviews. No one really comments on the press releases we post on the various park pages throughout the site. Why should they? Press releases are simply fluff pieces that offer up general information and serve as news vehicles for companies to spew out to anyone willing to read them. What Theme Park Adventure has always been admired for are its original pieces and non sugar-coated reviews of new rides and attractions. We call it like it is - good, bad or ugly. Press releases never say anything but good things - and we know that's not always the case. Look at our Haunt reviews. Look at the stories that Scott and Carol provide; both items include exclusive photos and original copy. Those are the most interesting and most talked about items on Theme Park Adventure. The whole site should be talked about - not just Haunt and the Holmes' stories.

More downloadable content. We have audio devices and we aren't afraid to use them, damnit! While the video stuff is being embedded in the pages now as small QuickTime files, we do have the ability to produce downloadable interviews, etc. for you to play on your computers, iPods or whatever toys you have at your disposal. The technology is here, the Digital Age is now - and you can bet that TPA is going to have fun with it.

New content/features. Like the highly-successful Holmes is Where the Park Is section of the site, Theme Park Adventure will begin offering more exclusive, creative pages within the site for your to explore such as the up-coming "Rick West's All-You-Can-Eat Vegas!" which will feature pieces written by yours truly around Sin City. Who doesn't love to read about and see Las Vegas? I live here - I work on the Strip. What the hell am I waiting for?

A larger staff. One of Theme Park Adventure's problems in the past was that there were too few staff members and too many events happening. In the coming months, TPA will be expanding our staff to include new photographers and writers. This will allow us to visit many parks, get the exclusive content we've been talking about and actually produce stories for you like we once did; this is where it's at, folks; not just regurgitating someone's press release and passing it off as quality content.

We have our work cut out for us, but I am going into this next "phase" of the TPA journey with great expectation, lots of enthusiasm and a genuine belief that our best years are coming as opposed to behind us. Nemo has just opened at Disneyland, other attractions are coming to life around the country and there are huge events on the horizon that we are ready to meet head-on and bring to you in true Theme Park Adventure fashion.

So, out with the old, in with the new and hopefully, you will be just as excited as I am with the prospect of change and a renewed enthusiasm for what we do here. Thanks for reading, thank you for your continued love and support.

Now fasten your safety belts - the ride through the past, present and the future is about to begin.

Again.