Block Party - Blockbuster's Failed Interactive Theme Park | ReviewTyme

[@Mariachiguy]

I got to go to Block Party here in Albuquerque a few times with my dad. For the time, it really was a big deal and for a while it was the place everybody wanted to go to. I had no idea only two locations ever existed so it's kinda neat to be able to say I've been there.

[@tat2titan]

That place was so cool! I'll always remember the big plastic neon colored fire hydrant that was melting into the floor in the middle of the lobby and the arcade room was designed like you were inside of a pinball machine 🫠

[@extremedrivr]

I remember when it changed to Itz not long after, Remember that one??

[@celinajaramillo2762]

I worked at the albuquerque location for 3 and a half months before it closed😢 was the greatest time of my life. It was a blast working there and when I got to operate the go motion, I met so many people. Goodtimes.. you will be missed ❤

[@princesskristan]

I didn't know that was a thing! But Blockbuster used to be the place and I love you for that The Amanda Show reference

[@Onoitsbroko]

I was just talking about Block Party with my dad last week! I was born and raised in Indianapolis and was fortunate to actually go here as a teenager. I loved it!

[@ppl2luv]

when my town’s blockbuster shut down they turned it into an urgent care center. when i went to get a covid test the building still had the same layout of the old store😭😭 i miss it

[@DaddyBmusic]

OMG, I'd almost forgotten Block Party! I worked on the opening crew of the Block Party in Indianapolis--I still have my shirts somewhere in storage. I forget how long I worked there, but through so many changes and so much corporate buffoonery, as they tried to make it work. I'd had fairly extensive theme park and entertainment experience--I started out in a role in which I roamed around taking photos of people and giving out random prizes (I think I was called something like "The Party Master", then worked in the motion simulator, the VR booth, the adult gym/ball pit (having to climb through periodically to make sure people weren't copulating in dark corners), behind the main desk, etc. It was fun but also kind of sad, watching corporate types with no real sense of what makes for a successful theme park experience trying everything they could to make it work. I worked with some very fun people there, but it just never "clicked", and I'm fairly certain it was never profitable. They just kept cutting corners and trimming anything that didn't directly lead to profit, even if it meant the result was kinda joyless. Thanks for the memory--I love you videos!

[@yotsubafanfan]

This was just made at the wrong time. With the success of places like Dave and Busters, The Centre and retro arcades it might work today. *Sigh* At least we have the City Museum in St. Louis. It might not be an arcade but it truly is the ultimate Adult playground with tunnels, 10 story slides, adult ball pits and alcohol. Kinda sucks the Indianapolis one closed though. It would've been fun going there with my Aunts, Uncles and adult cousins during the holiday season.

[@YouSuperJ]

I got to visit the City Museum two years ago and it was awesome. The hidden pinball room was dope!

[@wavelength3856]

I've got to agree that this kind of FEC is primed for a comeback! A giant adult-oriented play center could be great, precisely BECAUSE this is the kind of place that Millenials have great memories of from when they were children.

[@krystalsfuncenter7437]

I have dreams of opening up a place like that someday

[@JakeyonceTV]

This is IMMEDIATELY what I thought of! City museum is awesome!

[@johnnybowen7714]

instablaster.

[@tnewsted17]

I lived in Albuquerque when this was open it was off Montgomery and San Mateo. It was awesome

[@highnoon9333]

I feel like this would be a huge success today.

[@kingposeidon4535]

Sometimes you encounter small, but key moments in history where you have to wonder if one decision could have had huge cultural ramifications. We all know the story of Disney Quest and how and why it failed. However, if Blockbuster had not merged with Viacom, would Block Party have been more successful? Would it have created a new indoor, themed entertainment industry that would be normal in today's society and would have led to a better Disney Quest? It's interesting to me that this failed because of a lack of interest in keeping it relevant when it had the power to really change what was normal in American cities or shopping centers.

[@amichalap]

they need to open play places for adults again. I loved those places as a kid.

[@syxepop]

There are such places, like a Dave & Buster's (what do you think those are?)...

[@ladyblackstar4260]

You should Do knuckleheads in the Wisconsin Dells. It’s probably a bit smaller than this was but it is just like it and still open

[@jstorm7922]

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, why doesn’t this channel have 1 million subscribers. This is my favorite theme park channel!!! Keep up the good work!

[@joshberninger8355]

I loved this place. Used to go all the time in high school until it closed

[@BushidoDevilDog]

Interesting video! I worked at the Indy location for a month or so as an armed security officer while it was being built to protect the equipment and contractor's tools from being stolen. I was able to see it go from an empty box to fully-equiped right before it opened. One thing I noticed when I went there as a customer after it opened was that many of the "atmospheric extras" that had been running during the testing/final-check days prior to opening, had been shut off soon after the doors opened to the public. The main one I remember was a series of shadow/silhouette comedy clips that were projected above the entrance to the fire station-themed gift shop. There were others (lights, sounds, etc.) as well, which seemed to indicate that the management went into cut-corners/save money (on the electric bill, etc.) almost as soon as it opened...which is why I only went there 3-5 times after it was opened to the general public.

[@miss.apprehended]

Awesome production on this failed concept- great fun to learn about👏 There's a petition on change dot org to have a defunct Blockbuster outlet (in Owen Sound Ontario 🇨🇦) turn into a Blockbuster museum.

[@reddragon8488]

It would have been better if It was transported in a block Party

[@CptBojanglez]

I went to the one in Indianapolis when I was very young but had no idea it had anything to do with Blockbuster until watching this video.

[@ZontarDow]

Blockbuster, now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time

[@timpendleton514]

I enjoyed the one here in Indy and visited there often. My company would occasionally have our meetings there. I only did the Power Grid once but found it lots of fun and a good workout for my 30 year old self 😀. They also had some very unique games that most arcades never had such as the deluxe versions of T-Mek and Cruisin’ USA (muni motion simulator version).

[@Folap]

I remember my parents taking us to the Indy Blockparty a couple times. I just remember it as being confusingly overwhelming for me at that age, we would watch the people playing the stick-figure headset VR game and walk around inside for a bit and leave. At times it seems like the place was a dream, I have to remind myself it really existed and luckily now have your video as evidence.

[@spencerwelchii573]

6:39 I love love looove Fun House Express (used to operate a Simex Ride fFilm at The Adventuredome at Circus Circus LV).

[@LolaliciousSmiley]

Oh god, that dude party at 7:30 was exactly my scene. I would have definitely gone here for beer, pinball, club drugs, and music tubes.

[@LolaliciousSmiley]

Also, World Cup Soccer pinball is fun. I think that's the machine in the tournament picture.

[@JasonRBeing]

a Dude Party is your scene?

[@AlexAcostaArt]

Can't believe this didn't work.

[@syxepop]

As the host put it, this was "5 years before Disney Quest" and look how that fared.. The "success" of places like Dave & Buster's tell it could only work on a much smaller* scale without the big investment per store. * the largest D&B's are closer in size to a large Walgreen's or CVS

[@wavelength3856]

I'm a short drive from Sunrise FL and I have to say that Blockbuster Golf & Games was awesome (especially for its time in the 90's) - my absolute favorite place to go as a pre-teen. Never knew that they also tried an adult version beforehand! Block Party looks super cool. I'm sad it didn't work out - maybe with more thoughtful management and a focus on special events, it could have turned into something big. There's a Japanese chain called "Round 1" that is quickly expanding in the US with some wild-looking Family Entertainment Centers. While they seem to be going for a more athletic vibe than Block Party, it still feels like it might be the closest thing we'll have (and not to mention an extremely fun one) with its mix of arcade games, wacky high-tech entertainment, and super high-energy play that even adults can enjoy.

[@ddespair]

has an "adult" theme park ever worked? I feel like adults don't want to be adults, they want to relive stuff they liked as a kid. Disney has been successful because they know this. I think a dance club is the closest you can can get to an "adult theme park".

[@hollykapsalis1133]

Dave and Busters and Gameworks are pretty successful. Granted They’re more arcades than theme parks but the gameworks near me has some rides. Granted they also allow kids but it has a very adult atmosphere at night. In fact I don’t even think gameworks allows any under 21 after 6:30 or so.

[@hollysanders7909]

Blockbuster golf and games was the best! I was so sad when they shut down it was always fun getting stuck on the bumper boats thinking you would get stuck under the waterfall.

[@JasonRBeing]

Go to Boomers, in Boca!

[@fifthrider]

Fortunately borderline popular attractions like this and Disney Quest were closed to make room for such solid replacements as... NBA Experience.

[@syxepop]

It's all a matter of SCALE, as those have proven to "not $cale well"...

[@kingtigertank]

Should have started with LA or a bigger marketable area

[@tankart150]

Orlando would’ve been perfect

[@syxepop]

Not necessarily... Wonder if this Australian guy has covered this (none of the large American theme parks YT'ers have covered this "Blockbuster Block Party" that I know of), but the Blockbuster Park (covered in detail by at least Defunctland) that was to be developed was in Miramar, FL (SW Broward County, within SoFL) within a short distance of the start of I-75. That was a pretty large market (pretty much inside Miami) and it didn't broke ground. Actually Disney Quest started later on in "large venues" like Chicago and Philadelphia and had "limited appeal". Michael Eisner should've take "Wayne's hint" and not go ahead with his "crazy Quest". The only successful way this concept did emerge was on an even smaller (less than supermarket sized) frame, like Dave & Buster's (my hometown, Bayamón, Puerto Rico, has one of the largest worldwide), just waiting to rebound after the Pandemic...

[@averyeml]

Those Block Party plans are so dated looking I thought it was a screenshot from that Windows 3D Pinball game

[@ScottClarke]

This place was so much fun. Loved getting drunk and playing in the ball pit.

[@robinkomin]

It annoys me that your videos are SO well made, but the views aren't as high as they should be! Give it time!!

[@The_FactoidVoid]

Went to a church lock-in at the one here in Indianapolis. It was a good arcade. I liked the cheesy Aliens motion movie they had “Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright”.

[@colin8802]

I had a birthday party at the Albuquerque location as a kid. I had no idea that it was the first location and one of only two! I don't remember a whole lot about the attractions, and that makes sense now that I'm learning it was targeted more towards adults.

[@LindsayTVFilm]

Also Paramount took over the Taft/KECO Parks around that time (Kings Island, Kings Dominion, Carowinds, Canada's Wonderland, Wonderland Sydney [which they got a 20% stake in and gave up], and Great America). They also ran Terra Mitica in Spain for 4 years and Gilroy Gardens as Bonfante Gardens until the 2006 sale to Cedar Fair.

[@arianarunpop2202]

This was a very I interesting video! I would LOVE to see a video about Blockbuster Golf & Games. I went there a few times as a teen and loved the place.

[@danasandoval624]

Too bad this didn’t work sounds like small indoor theme parks would be fun!

[@tankart150]

Hmmm I wonder what the adults did in the ball pits

[@SkipSpotter]

Who would have guessed what life after 2000 would be like. So many crazy things have happened.

[@PixelJD]

I'm a sucker for the zany Roger Rabbit meets Buzz Lightyear design that these REC rooms used to have. Disney Quest was always a treat to visit for the architecture alone. So specific to a certain time. It's a shame minimalism has really killed quirky designs in big budget projects now a days.

[@joebarniak]

I went to this in Indianapolis when I was a kid. And I couldn't do anything that was there because I was too young. I couldn't wait till I grew up so I could try this out. Didn't know it was one of two in the USA. But it wasn't truly that cool because they didn't have a lot to do, it was kind of small and I'm sure it got old fast.

[@mandymayne8759]

Be kind: Rewind ⏪

[@Foxy02016]

Dino Island appeared at Great Adventure, alongside Elvira, SpongeBob and the original The Right Stuff! Now the building is just a fright fest house

[@SD-kx1se]

Every guest wanting to get their “balls” out would be a whole different kind of party.

[@kitridge4301]

Man those theaters were ridiculous haha

[@samwilliams9919]

Great video as always! Please can you consider making a video on the cancelled Blockbuster theme park and entertainment district in Orlando? Sounds like an interesting project

[@AllForTheGame]

Block party was ahead of their time

[@peanutismint]

Where exactly WAS the Block Party located in Albuquerque? I’ve heard about it for years and tried to find its old location but I can’t find any info online as to an address for the building? Trying to work it out from your satellite image but can’t see it anywhere..... EDIT: never mind, found it 👍 (35.1352940, -106.5895270)

[@ReviewTyme]

Yep it's that purple and green building next to the cinema in those co-ordinates, after Block Party left it became an ITZ, and then has sat empty since it closed about 4 years ago - Luke

[@Dan-O]

@@ReviewTyme I thought it had a weird church in it last time I’ve visited. But yeah off Montgomery and San Mateo. I had my 13th birthday there in 1997

[@RJC813]

I remember going to Block party when I was a kid when it closed it became ITZ

[@Anynom]

Actually worked at a Blockbusters for a bit back in 1995. It's not as fun as you'd think....

[@ZiggyCashmere]

Do you have a source for the image at 3:36? I can't find it anywhere.

[@ReviewTyme]

Hey Ziggy, it's from ITEC's website which has been archived here marc-plogstedt-r104.squarespace.com/block-party - Luke

[@ZiggyCashmere]

@@ReviewTyme Thank you!

[@daveotuwa5596]

Everything that pertains to Blockbuster Video is gone! Blockbuster-related places would've been extant if Blockbuster Video remains a chain. Only without Netflix's going beyond and more and just films!

[@JasonRBeing]

IF it still happens, EPCOT's Play Pavilion will be DisneyQuest 2

[@EpixAndroid]

That’s if Zack Ridley & Co were smart enough to put Hyperspace Mountain into said Pavillon (I never thought of it in that aspect, tbh).

[@sicsempertyrannis4613]

I used to play arcade games there as a kid... I never knew it was for adults only... I never had supervision but was there so often the staff knew me

[@BulletClubGaming91]

I grew up going to block party here in abq New mexico a lot of my fondest arcade moments where started their they had exclusive and special arcade cabs and versions of games like Pacman neon chase to test and a themed and attraction version of carnevil by midway that had its own little zone. This is also the place where I saw and got to play mk killer instict and eternal fighters for the first time and discovered battletoads had a bloody adult arcade version. After block party closed down and was sold they changed it to a very shitty rude and overpriced indoor theme park called itz pizza games and indoor mini coaster land and it sucked ass I will always love block party and it's partner in crime a few miles away Sega city

[@calebm.5386]

Went to the indy block party as a teenager. It was great.

[@fresch4395]

Man I just turned 30 and I LOVE arcades, lasertag and all that fun stuff. As a kid I had like 10 bucks to spend on arcades per months. Now I got money and I really want to get some big prizes and stuff. But kids are really annoying sometimes. I mean lasertag really is no fun when you have like 3 10 year olds running after you and shooting all the time so you are almost always dead and it is just no fun. Kids always crying because you play a game as an adult and they are like "but I am a kid waaaah i wanna play now" sorry kids I just wanna pay 2 rounds. And so many kids always ask if they can get my tickets, because I am an adult, I don't need toys. I found an arcade that is open until midnight, when I go there weekdays at night it is kid free, but it is rather small and I need to drive like 2 hours to get there.

[@carlstieren5437]

Dave and Busters...."Hold my Beer".... who would have thought this was 20 years ahead of its time now the amusement industry is booming with FFC's

[@knuclear200x]

We've lost Blockbuster, but at least we still have Dave & Buster

[@reddragon8488]

If someone would reimagine this concept i think this would be as a 3D haunted house alá halloween horror nights

[@rfart419]

awesome.

[@MegaTimmytommy]

I REMEMBER BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO! I! AM! OLD!

[@SnackHeadCowboy]

So many dudes in that one photo haha

[@allenslucher8555]

after watching the new movie about Blockbuster on Netflix, I totally agree..... VIACOM BROUGHT THE OLD GRUMPY GUY!!! hahaha

[@jakekuhl1]

I would have totally wanted to go here

[@jakekuhl1]

It sounds like Dave & Busters growing up, kids were kicked out after 9 or 10

[@highnoon9333]

omg discovery zone was amazing

[@jgatzby4263]

I would have much preferred Rose Video

[@sejejo7565]

They did all that instead of investing in a network streaming service??? We could have the Blockbuster Network right now

[@jessicabentivenga8315]

What are they now? Possibly Chuck E Cheese's?

[@syxepop]

That did succeed (not!)... Check the host's reply nearby, as he detected the Alburquerque site.

[@rwjehs8101]

I used to go to the Indy location. It was awesome. They had the first 3d movie I ever remember seeing. Plus the chairs moved around. They also had a Sega Saturn in the gift shop that was like ten trillion tickets. Pretty sure it got shut down cause people were fucking and doing drugs in the dark ball pit. It was also within walking distance of Leaps and Bounds, Mcdonalds answer to Discovery Zone, but I can't remember if they were operating at the same time. It's literally one of the buildings on the map shown in this video.

[@edvaira6891]

Never even heard about these…sounds like it was a lot like your average Dave and Busters

[@Aaron25thinfantry]

Blockbuster was amazing at that time ..wish they would've adapted better. Dave and Buster's is dope so they missed this opportunity

[@priqq1]

0:26 is this individual wearing pants or no???🤨🤨😆😆

[@Joypyf]

Gosh, I miss Amanda Bynes. I never knew about Blockbuster had this 😳

[@pika23]

So round 1 and Dave and busters essentially

[@KMT15]

We had one in Indianapolis. Wayyyyyy before dave and busters

[@LiLTailormade]

So basically it’s Dave & Busters.

[@zappy4252]

Wow I remember seeing this from Evan Collins on twitter

[@brycevo]

This could have been good. If it was done better

[@maximus1023]

And bigger

[@crowmigration8245]

I wanna go to golf and games :(

[@TheOswards306]

Why didn't they have rides like many theme/amusement parks have?

[@LiamP-597]

I guess you could call this a BlockBUSTer. I'll see myself out.

[@atarimuseum_nl]

Wayne Huizinga had Dutch ansestors, so your pronunciation of his name is al wrong :-D

[@hyd3979]

Damn I wish I was an adult in the 90's and not a fetus! I want to go to more kid-like adult-only places (I'm in my 20's now)

[@mtmadigan82]

there better be strippers and gambling.

[@Erykthebat]

Showbiz Pizza was the only good indoor them park.

[@gregnulik1975]

Shame. Block party looks kinda cool for a grown ups only chuck e cheese. Oh well.

[@syarizansulaiman6554]

To bad if open at japan or any rich ASEAN nation it will open till this day

[@JeffreyPiatt]

AMC theaters and Planet Hollywood had one too.