Middle Earth Theme Parks?
Middle Earth Theme Parks?
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2013/02 ... ssibility/
Not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, I find the idea extremely tacky, but on the other, I still kinda would like to visit one! So, personal feelings apart (feel free to start another thread to criticise the possibile debasement of Tolkien's legacy) and in the spirit of fun, what would be your ideas for theme park rides?
A few suggestions
Flight of the Nazgûl/Gwaihir - an immersive 3D motion ride over Middle Earth
Rapids at Sarn Gebir - Try to navigate Boromir's funeral boat to Minas Tirith
The Corsairs of Umbar - Left over Pirates of the Caribbean theme ride with new costumes
Spawn your own Uruk - Play area with Uruk-Hai pods. Release your Uruk and design a symbol to paint on his face
The tinwë Challenge - Using trebuchets as defensive weapons, protect Minas Tirith from the invading hordes. Dunkin Donut Sponsored
Army of the Dead - Spooky Haunted House experience. Now with added skull avalanche!
Eateries
Rivendell - For the healthy option. Salads and baked potatos
The Hungry Hobbit - 8 meals served daily
The Prancing Pony - Sandwiches, Cold Cuts, Fine Ales and Beers
Mordor - McDonalds
Not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, I find the idea extremely tacky, but on the other, I still kinda would like to visit one! So, personal feelings apart (feel free to start another thread to criticise the possibile debasement of Tolkien's legacy) and in the spirit of fun, what would be your ideas for theme park rides?
A few suggestions
Flight of the Nazgûl/Gwaihir - an immersive 3D motion ride over Middle Earth
Rapids at Sarn Gebir - Try to navigate Boromir's funeral boat to Minas Tirith
The Corsairs of Umbar - Left over Pirates of the Caribbean theme ride with new costumes
Spawn your own Uruk - Play area with Uruk-Hai pods. Release your Uruk and design a symbol to paint on his face
The tinwë Challenge - Using trebuchets as defensive weapons, protect Minas Tirith from the invading hordes. Dunkin Donut Sponsored
Army of the Dead - Spooky Haunted House experience. Now with added skull avalanche!
Eateries
Rivendell - For the healthy option. Salads and baked potatos
The Hungry Hobbit - 8 meals served daily
The Prancing Pony - Sandwiches, Cold Cuts, Fine Ales and Beers
Mordor - McDonalds
The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End
- sauronsfinger
- Posts: 3508
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2005 2:25 am
Great idea Alatar.
How about a water ride with the barrels from HOBBIT? People can get in a big barrel shaped boat and bounce around in a rapids. Those seem popular at parks?
There has to be nightly fireworks display to honor Gandalf and his art.
There has to be a restaurant specializing in mushrooms for the hobbit in us.
I like the idea of a haunted house and would build it around a visit into the Barad-dûr. After all, the army of the dead turned out to be good guys.
There are a bunch of scenes in mountains so you could design a terrific rollercoaster experience around such moments.
I would like to see the various hotel accommodations. The Inn at Bree with their hobbit sized rooms would be for the economical. Rivendell could be the high end place to stay for the vacation.
Kids seem to love those kiosks where they do make-up on them so we can all be turned into our favorite character be it a hobbit or dwarf or elf or orc.
How about a water ride with the barrels from HOBBIT? People can get in a big barrel shaped boat and bounce around in a rapids. Those seem popular at parks?
There has to be nightly fireworks display to honor Gandalf and his art.
There has to be a restaurant specializing in mushrooms for the hobbit in us.
I like the idea of a haunted house and would build it around a visit into the Barad-dûr. After all, the army of the dead turned out to be good guys.
There are a bunch of scenes in mountains so you could design a terrific rollercoaster experience around such moments.
I would like to see the various hotel accommodations. The Inn at Bree with their hobbit sized rooms would be for the economical. Rivendell could be the high end place to stay for the vacation.
Kids seem to love those kiosks where they do make-up on them so we can all be turned into our favorite character be it a hobbit or dwarf or elf or orc.
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.... John Rogers
- sauronsfinger
- Posts: 3508
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2005 2:25 am
One great feature would be a museum. it could have many different areas combining the book history and the film history.
I was at the film displays for FOTR in Toronto at Casa Loma in 2001, then the following year for TTT at the Science Center also in Toronto, then ROTK in B Boston and the big retrospective show in Indianapolis. You could absolutely fill a museum with those exhibits and memorabilia.
I would love to see that as something apart from rides.
Maybe also a Mirkwood Forest area which would be more of a nature walk with a few things thrown in for amusement along the way.
I was at the film displays for FOTR in Toronto at Casa Loma in 2001, then the following year for TTT at the Science Center also in Toronto, then ROTK in B Boston and the big retrospective show in Indianapolis. You could absolutely fill a museum with those exhibits and memorabilia.
I would love to see that as something apart from rides.
Maybe also a Mirkwood Forest area which would be more of a nature walk with a few things thrown in for amusement along the way.
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.... John Rogers
I'll play!
For another eaterie, how about Gollum's sushi restaurant?
or Bert's Kitchen - hotpots a speciality!
My daughter would love the "Ride of the Rohirrim carousel"
As for the Haunted House ride we could have the Minas Morgul Haunted Castle ride...
We could have the Stone Giants broken bridge rollercoaster type ride...
- the eagles' flight ride would be cool if you have a head for heights..
- the POTD Skull Toss sideshow could replace the old coconut shy!
- Whack-a-Troll!!
- The Sinking of Númenor ride could be the M-e equivalent of POTC!!
Just a quick question - would the lost and found be in Gondolin?
For another eaterie, how about Gollum's sushi restaurant?
or Bert's Kitchen - hotpots a speciality!
My daughter would love the "Ride of the Rohirrim carousel"
As for the Haunted House ride we could have the Minas Morgul Haunted Castle ride...
We could have the Stone Giants broken bridge rollercoaster type ride...
- the eagles' flight ride would be cool if you have a head for heights..
- the POTD Skull Toss sideshow could replace the old coconut shy!
- Whack-a-Troll!!
- The Sinking of Númenor ride could be the M-e equivalent of POTC!!
Just a quick question - would the lost and found be in Gondolin?
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
~Diana Cortes
- sauronsfinger
- Posts: 3508
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2005 2:25 am
Great stuff Elen. I really love the sushi idea. I also like my fish raw and wriggling.Elentári wrote:I'll play!
For another eaterie, how about Gollum's sushi restaurant?
or Bert's Kitchen - hotpots a speciality!
My daughter would love the "Ride of the Rohirrim carousel"
As for the Haunted House ride we could have the Minas Morgul Haunted Castle ride...
We could have the Stone Giants broken bridge rollercoaster type ride...
- the eagles' flight ride would be cool if you have a head for heights..
- the POTD Skull Toss sideshow could replace the old coconut shy!
- Whack-a-Troll!!
- The Sinking of Númenor ride could be the M-e equivalent of POTC!!
Just a quick question - would the lost and found be in Gondolin?
The Rohirrim carousel is a terrific idea. Now if we can just find something for the mumakil.
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.... John Rogers
I already live fairly close to a Middle Earth theme park: it's called the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and bits and pieces of the wilder corners of ME can be found there in stunning technicolor and natural 3D.
“Wilbur never forgot Charlotte. Although he loved her children and grandchildren dearly, none of the new spiders ever quite took her place in his heart. She was in a class by herself. It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both.” E. B. White, who must have had vison in mind. There's a reason why we kept putting the extra i in her name in our minds!
Pointless Wilderness trail - trip to Osgiliath, have to have lots of exits, from the park arranged in a serial manner. Once you have got through one another appears
Since 1410 most Welsh people most of the time have abandoned any idea of independence as unthinkable. But since 1410 most Welsh people, at some time or another, if only in some secret corner of the mind, have been "out with Owain and his barefoot scrubs." For the Welsh mind is still haunted by it's lightning-flash vision of a people that was free.
Gwyn A. Williams,
Gwyn A. Williams,
Maria wrote:Have a real Oliphant and people could ride in a palaquin on its back.
Definitely - we could have a group rate…
I love sf's idea of a nature walk – but that would have to be in Greenwood, as I wouldn’t want to come across any Mirkwood spiders! Mind you, we could have the Rhosgobel Petting Zoo where kids can get to hold a baby spawn of Ungoliant as well as pet the Rhosgobel bunnies…
Laketown could hold a rowing regatta, complete with Dragon boat racing on the Long Lake!
As for accommodation, since we were musing on Galadriel’s famous make-overs a while back, I reckon Lothlórien could open as a luxury spa resort, whilst the Galadhrim run a Tree Top Adventure trail on high wires and platforms in the canopy like our Go Ape!
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
~Diana Cortes
- sauronsfinger
- Posts: 3508
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2005 2:25 am
Glad to see all getting in on the fun. Great stuff from all.
A serious question: if this idea does get off the ground, where should it be located?
One would have that the Harry Potter park would have been in England but it found a home in Orlando, Florida with Universal.
Where would you place the Middle-earth park keeping in mind all the normal commercial considerations that go into a business venture of this kind.
A serious question: if this idea does get off the ground, where should it be located?
One would have that the Harry Potter park would have been in England but it found a home in Orlando, Florida with Universal.
Where would you place the Middle-earth park keeping in mind all the normal commercial considerations that go into a business venture of this kind.
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.... John Rogers
- sauronsfinger
- Posts: 3508
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2005 2:25 am
Would that not hurt possible attendance?axordil wrote:Any Middle Earth Theme Park should be in Middle Earth. You know, New Zealand.
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.... John Rogers
NZ tourism is doing pretty well out of actually being M-e...I guess it is only fair another country gets a turn - perhaps somewhere a little more central?
The Germans are rather good at theme parks...and LotR is huge over there!
The Germans are rather good at theme parks...and LotR is huge over there!
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
~Diana Cortes
I expect you would have both. Harry Potter Studio Adventure is in London, and the Theme Park is in Orlando. I could see WB doing something similar with a Middle Earth Theme Park. Perhaps having a Museum/Sets/Props in London and New Zealand with the Theme Park proper in Florida.
The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End