Theme Parks Were Better in the 90s (Part 2)

Theme parks were better in the 90s, or at least, had such an unique aesthetic that defined their design in that era. Not only was themed entertainment far more prevalent than it is today, but it was a lot more ambitious too. Now in Part 2 of this series, we take a look back at Disney's ultra-themed hotels of the 90s and even analyze their value options, exploring how they take from aesthetic trends of the decade. Epcot in this era was equally as interesting, pivoting towards a style that is defined by its zany post-modernism and opening a slate of new attractions that, whether they were loved or hated, were certainly unique. The 90s also saw the introduction of the Coaster Wars, starting with Cedar Point's Magnum XL-200, provoking amusement parks and coaster manufacturers to keep building extreme rides that were always bigger, taller and faster than the last. Finally, I finished out this part with a small segment dedicated to the rise of themed dinner shows of this era, which was popularized by Medieval Times. If you enjoy videos like these, be sure to leave a like and subscribe to stay notified to new videos as they release.
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[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Thank you to everyone who chimed in and made factual corrections to the video! The one good thing about doing it in separate parts is that I can fix mistakes before the full final video releases sometime in the future (maybe a few years in 2025?). Here's a list of corrections though: - I incorrectly stated the name of "King Henry's Feast" as "Sir Henry's Feast". - A fair few people have pointed out that Medusa at Six Flags Great Adventure, which opened in 1999, was in fact the first floorless B&M coaster (and Kraken wasn't even close). - CowboyEntertainment also pointed out that Arrow continued using tubular steel supports past Drachen Fire, which is an embarrassing oversight especially since I showed footage of Tennessee Tornado with exactly those supports in the video.

[@infinitefloydtribute]

Most egregious of all, you did not include our "That Was Stupid" Desperado clip in the mention of Primms Coaster! You have one more video to fix this!

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

@@infinitefloydtribute Lol, yeah it's funny but that not my bit to do

[@infinitefloydtribute]

@@PoseidonEntertainment darn my apologies for the confusion!! LOL

[@cmaden78]

Steel phantom is the only roller coaster I've ever been on that I left bloody..lol(earring)

[@cmaden78]

In 1998

[@joedavenport5293]

Say what you want about Michael Eisner he was a visionary. Sure Euro Disneyland got off to a rocky start but he set the standard for the Disney Difference. IP was kept to a minimum and the parks and resorts had there own feel and personality.

[@KellogsR-ny7ug]

Either way he strove for innovation and ultimately the customers got what they paid for

[@bridgewatersucks]

I often find myself grateful that I was able to experience the eisner era as a kid. Nothing was more immersive than Epcot in the late 90s

[@LoveStallion]

It's a miracle EuroDisneyland was built as well as it was in the first place. The company was high off the success of Tokyo Disneyland, even though Disney didn't build it, and MGM Studios was doing well enough. It's crazy how much money the sunk into the Paris project, and it nearly torpedoed the whole thing, but today, Disneyland Paris remains arguably the most beautiful of the castle parks, loaded with details and care.

[@mikefrombuffalo]

The Eisner/Wells era was peak Disney IMO

[@garouthetiktokinfluencerhu9731]

Dude, yes. He was far from perfect but he took risks. Eg Alien encounter, that ride was great

[@lifekeepsflowing]

I will always miss the Michael Eisner era. He was the last Disney CEO who knew how to dream.

[@DevineInnovations]

The crazy thing is I only remember people criticizing him when he was in charge (and some of the criticisms were valid). But over all, I think he did way more to help the Disney brand than anybody who's last name didn't start with a "D."

[@hannahmoran3660]

That’s such a poetic description, and (80s “greed is good” mentality aside) it’s so true!

[@innotech]

​@@DevineInnovations Disney in the Eisner era felt "magic" to me. I think he did a marvelous job through the 90s in 00s. For sure, making a decade of instant classic movies to pull brand recognition and eternal sales from helped the mystique, but the parks felt very organized and "perfect" when I visited in 99. Even Epcot felt pretty alive and the Illuminations 2000 firework show has yet to be equalled.

[@LuvzToLol21]

Honestly this series and your other videos about stuff like Club Cool broke me. The last time I've been to Disney World was around 2009 ish, when they still had the original fastpass. For my family it was one of those once in a lifetime trips. Nothing is as soul crushing as knowing the Disney World I knew and loved back then simply doesn't exist anymore.

[@rickyspeople]

Don't let it crush your soul, realign your perspective to center gratitude and you'll realize you were very lucky to get to experience it with your family while it lasted, which is fantastic. Cherish the day 🎉

[@swampsagacity4685]

The new Club Cool at EPCOT looks like a gas station convenience store. Complete lack of creativity.

[@jaykay1899]

Start going to universal studios and experience their slow but steady rise to becoming the best highly themed parks over Disney!

[@Doghero780]

@@jaykay1899universal has had some mis steps but it does seem to have a better head on its shoulders than Disney. Their new expansions like Nintendo land along with the epic universe redo show far more creativity and theming than Disney.

[@HullabalooWorkshop-qi3os]

Your videos are the future of entertainment. They are like the quintessential idealized version of television I’ve wanted my whole life but never got until now. I can just turn off my mind and visit a bunch of the most fun places on earth all in one hour. This rocks. You rock.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Ah, well that's what's so great about KZbin. I appreciate it as a platform for individual people to create engaging entertainment

[@princessravendiamond4288]

The aesthetic of the Value Resorts might be dated, but it's also super nostalgic for me

[@luma4902]

Honestly as someone who is not nostalgic for them for value resorts on the Disney park scale i think they are pretty well themed especially art of animation and pop century

[@randomusernameCallin]

I think they are the worse part of the 90s style.

[@AngelJD]

On a Twitter thread it was asked what was a magical place for the people that went to WDW. The one that shocked the poster was : "The cafeteria of All Stars". It wasn't written as a joke but earnest. The Value Resorts get alot of heat but the many people that stayed in them seemed to enjoy their time. Plus during the time when they opened they would allow people that didn't have the money to stay in the other resorts still be able to stay there and get the benefits of Disney Resorts such as Disney transportation, shopping at the parks and ship to the resorts, and extra magic hours. Now many of those features are gone or lessened sadly but still for the time and even today 'Value' still has value to others. Lastly I enjoyed the 80-90's fun Disney sculptures that was specially made and placed at the various resorts and shops.

[@OuranNaruBleachClub]

@@randomusernameCallin they are visually not very appealing depending on your taste, but I respect the effort they put into with the theming and organization of the budget hotels. You can tell that even for the cheaper buildings they still put effort into expressing a design language and representing the parks values "ie.. the disney difference". you really cant find hotels that look like that which makes it special (even if theyre objectively sort of hideous)... especially as time marches on and disney insists on designing the most boring, flat, overpriced hotels u can imagine. newer hotels are basically overpriced hiltons with disney characters slapped on the walls

[@randomusernameCallin]

@@OuranNaruBleachClub For me there is a difference between theming and random color and large props.

[@DocLynxable]

I remember staying in the All Star Sports Hotel with my dad when we went to visit back in the mid 90's. It was honestly pretty cool and the staff there were nice too, they even sent us the Calvin and Hobbes book I left in the hotel room by accident.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

People always seem to have something negative to say about the All Stars, but the theming and atmosphere is legitimately interesting.

[@DevineInnovations]

6:57 This is something that a lot of people have forgotten about the 80s and 90s. There was a lot of nostalgia for the 1950s, but they updated the visual style. So you would see a lot of 50s style diners with pastel colors. It didn’t start with Mel’s Diner in Universal Studios. You can even find some 50s diners today that were opened in the 80s and 90s that have this style. There were other examples like in animation, graphic design, movies, video games, etc. Off the top of my head, the Richard Simmons workout video Sweatin’ to the Oldies II was like this.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Do you have any examples of diners like that? I've tried looking but haven't had any luck.

[@DevineInnovations]

@@PoseidonEntertainment There was a place called "Ellie's 50's Diner" in Delray Beach that I have been to, but I just found out, while trying to answer your question, it just closed last year :(. You can still find videos and photos from when it was open and I think it is a great example of this "80s version of the 50s" aesthetic which I am personally describing as "50s revivalism." (the rest of this reply is superfluous and kind of rambles on, so read at your own discretion) It would be interesting to look more into this forgotten trend. I was actually thinking about this recently as I was making a 3D model of a living room in Blender in this style. I don't think anybody has really put together a collection of examples of this style and I have had to rely on memory to dig them up myself. I just remembered that the first time I really thought about this concept was a few years ago when I saw the 1989 film Hellgate, which opens in a diner in 1959 but it looks way too 80s to actually be in the 1950s. Around this time, I also say watched the trailer for Getting Even with Dad which had a scene where Macaulay Culkin is singing in a location with this aesthetic. Sorry I'm making this reply so long and rambling, but I JUST NOW remembered seeing a lot of official Disney artwork featuring Mickey and Minnie mouse that had this style as well. Specifically, I remember seeing posters with this kind of Mickey Mouse artwork at a community center where I took Tae Kwon Do classes as a kid (they also taught dance at the same location).

[@hosly101]

As a midwesterner, I didn't grow up as a disney or universal kid, but my family was SUPER into Cedar Point. This series is simultaneously so nostalgic while also letting me live vicariously through each installment

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I'm glad that the nostalgia gets through, but I guess that makes sense. A lot of nostalgia is fabricated for events we didn't even experience, which is itself an interesting phenomenon. The Carousel of Progress always gets me nostalgic for the decades it portrays, yet obviously I wasn't there for them. Disney of the past had such an interesting way of knowing how to evoke that feeling.

[@TooningIn2008]

IDK why, but the campy aesthetics of the 90s, combined with the in-your-face theming of the time gives me immense feelings of happiness and comfort. Parks like Phantasialand and modern-day Universal are rightfully deserving of praise for having developed such insane presentation and scale in terms of theming, especially the former, but there’s something about what I’ll refer to as the “Millennium Celebration Aesthetic (MCA for short)” that just means much more to me, even though I wasn’t around for it

[@ShadowDragon-cw7wb]

The Eisner Era of Disney was a golden era of excitement and new experiences.

[@ridetrackx]

Comparing Chapek/Iger to Eisner's flops... Eisner wins all day. His problems began when he lost his right hand man. He innovated, these new guys just update old ideas.

[@DeanGilberryCrunch]

The irony is that subtlety seems has been both lost and gained for entertainment these days. There was very little subtlety in the corporate sponsored performances, architecture, and exhibits of years past, but I feel that the overall goal of brand loyalty and recognition was much more subtle. They knew if they gave audiences a lasting impression from the quality, detail, and interactivity of their experience that the rest would follow suit. Now today Disney has lost all subtlety with its ultimate goal of getting people blindly happy with their brand while simultaneously losing the detail and creativity that they once let foster in their resorts. That spoonful of fun 80s-90s sugar really does help the medicine go down.

[@JoyRideEntertainment]

LOVED the original Ice Station Cool 15:00 but won't miss getting pelted by full-sized ice cubes in the tunnel. haha

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I only experienced both versions of Club Cool, but yeah, I imagine that getting hit by the ice was probably an issue lol

[@kylecristino3378]

Never been happier to see a video uploaded 40 seconds ago

[@thenewherooftime815]

Man this guy does not miss, I could listen to him making me nostalgic for stuff that existed before I was even born forever

[@whatever32]

So glad you mention GVC and the CARI site so often, it’s become one of my favourite websites on the internet in this past year. The effort made to preserve and discuss these more niche design aesthetics post-90s is actually very valuable. I don’t know how much of it is nostalgia talking, but remembering all these lavish themed environments from my childhood holidays, I can’t help but miss those days. In the 90s there was a sense of optimism about the future in the west, and as a kid this was reflected in the dominant aesthetic of games and other media of my youth - Utopian Scholastic design. It felt like kids were encouraged to learn, and the theming in places like Epcot made it so exciting to learn about science and technology with a sense of adventure and fun. Idk how kids nowadays are supposed to be excited about learning when all they’re given is boring minimalist spaces and the occasional IP tie-in…

[@whatever32]

Also - LOVE all the music you use in the background in these videos! It’s very Utopian Scholastic/GVC in nature, mixed with a little vaporwave. Well done!

[@marcgillespie9443]

Pardon my ignorance but what is GVC?

[@whatever32]

Last addition 😂 I would also argue that a lot of the 90s aesthetics you’ve attributed to GVC, like the Epcot futures pavilion, are a bit closer to something called Factory Pomo, or Factory Postmodern. It’s known for a lot of block purples and reds, plus a lot of engineering/scientific imagery, specifically gears and symbols contained within circles. The Bill Nye opening credits logo is actually a great example! So once again incredibly 90s. Truly love this series, I just get excited about this stuff…

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

@@whatever32 Ah you're right, I do very much see the influence of Factory Pomo. When I was looking at 90s Epcot, I just assumed that it was some sort of vaguely futuristic interpretation of GVC and probably drew from other aesthetic influences too (though I wasn't quite sure what). That's helpful going forward though

[@JustaGuy_Gaming]

Medieval times was better than it sounds, but also rather expensive. I went to Disneyland like 8 times growing up, every year for my birthday. Only went to Medieval times once. From what i remember the cost was about the same, but instead of an all day trip to an amusement park you got a 2 hour show with fairly average food.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Maybe the price was more comparable years ago, but with Disney prices as high as they are, MT must now seem like a pretty good deal. I think it also depends on how they've continued to evolve their shows, as old footage I've viewed of it seems a lot less interesting than what I experienced a few years ago. That being said, I know that a lot of money must go into caring for the horses, training the riders/actors and keeping up with maintenance for the buildings, so I do feel that the price justifies itself.

[@JustaGuy_Gaming]

@@PoseidonEntertainment It is a very nice show compared to similar things I have seen at things like town Medieval fairs and the like. I think the biggest issue as at least when I was young they only changed the show every few years, meaning repeat viewings was not exactly exciting. They really should of had a variety of shows they rotated on a weekly or something basis. And your right, no idea on the prices now. When I went Disneyland was closer to the price of Medieval times, but no idea the gap now. Disney has basically doubled their price in a decade, I doubt MT is that bad.

[@flipcoin6301]

I remember when we went to the Excalibur LV knockoff of Medieval Times. It was fun and had decent food(but limited).

[@kalzium8857]

The themepark industry in the US are dominated by big themepark chains. I think if multiple of these chains were better in the nineties, then the whole industry has a problem. Disney was far more ambitious in the nineties and was still in the renaissance. But today it seems that Disney is trying to squeeze every last penny of their guests, while offering less. Six flags was much more respected in the nineties. But before the merger with cedar point they seem to set wrong priorities. Seaworld is another big player that seem to fallen of compared to the nineties. Also the animal cruelty controversy didn't help. The only exception seems to be Universal. But if multiple big players seem to have fallen of compared to the nineties, then the industry has a problem.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I agree for sure. Universal really seems to be attempting to push the industry forward, whereas Disney just sees its parks as billboards for advertising and building "brand loyalty". There's a lot I still like about Disney, but it's mostly what's been built previously, rather than what they've recently introduced. I don't feel that way about Universal though. Even when they miss (like with Villain-Con) at least the idea was interesting and they just failed in the execution.

[@Shag471]

20:04 See that metal control room window divider on the left with a dot on the middle of it between the hot and cold room? That’s a pressed penny that I put there in 2011! 😂

[@laurelanne5071]

Those shots of Steel Phantom/Phantom's Revenge with the Pitt Fall were a nostalgia bomb for me. From the house I grew up in, I could see those rides from my bedroom window!

[@CowboyEntertainment]

As always, a great video. Just a note, Kraken was not the first B&M Floorless coaster, it was actually the fourth to open. The first was Medusa at Six Flags Great Adventure in 1999. Kraken opened in June of 2000 after Superman: Krypton Coaster and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom's version of Medusa opened a few months earlier in 2000.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Ah man, I'm not sure how I got that one so wrong. You and a few others have pointed this out, but you've been very specific and I appreciate the context. Since I'll do a "final" version of the video that brings all the parts together eventually in a few years, at least I can fix the mistake now.

[@cgimovieman]

Oh man, do these strike a chord with me. I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s in the Midwest, and have lived in the Orlando area for over 25 years now. The coaster wars I regularly experienced year by year, as I used to go to Cedar Point once every year or two growing up, and they would regularly one-up themselves each year. I remember going on coasters like Magnum XL 200, the former Mean Streak, Iron Dragon, and Raptor the summers they premiered. It was so much fun. Living in Orlando for so long and having been on 5 vacations there growing up in the late 80’s and early 90’s, things liked themed shows and odd attractions are things I’m just used to passing by. Even if I don’t go to them. In addition to Medieval Times, King Henry’s Feast, and the Pirates show, I also remember one right next to King Henry’s Feast called Race Rock. I don’t know exactly what it was, but obviously had sort of a racing and NASCAR theme to it, and had a huge Bigfoot monster truck outside. All of this stuff might seem silly today, or some rides or concepts very dated, but at the time it was just fun. The one-up-manship was just a continual conveyor belt of excitement and anticipation. You just knew each year you always had something new and fun to experience. At the time I even loved all of the themed restaurants too

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I believe someone told me that Race Rock was where the Dave and Busters is located today? I was probably going to do a segment on the rise of "entertainment strips", covering I-Drive, Pigeon Forge, Niagara Falls, Branson right outside of SDC, the Wisconsin Dells, etc., so I might briefly cover it there.

[@AuthorCertifiedGoof]

When you showed the Electric Umbrella, my first thought was that I was sad I missed it. Then you described the food and I was glad I missed it.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Was it not an Epcot experience without the absolute worst food on Disney property? I would say worst in Orlando, but Islands of Adventure exists and I can't get over how continuously, comically bad the food quality continues to be there too.

[@AuthorCertifiedGoof]

@@PoseidonEntertainment when I’ve gone to Epcot, I’ve always eaten in China or Mexico and had yummy food!

[@QuentrixMovies]

I miss 90s Epcot so much. I'm so glad I was able to experience it in the early 2000s.

[@dylanbarracks3509]

Wow, that original concept for the Pirate dinner show sounds insane. Honestly, I kind of wish they kept it, since the idea of film characters coming to life and killing the studio is so fascinating.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

When I first went, it seemed they had long abandoned that theme, but I can't remember much of what the actual show consisted of. Seems like a good reason to go back soon though

[@21kaduku]

Halfway through this and just saw there's a part three. Hell yeah

[@SMG2024]

Mel's was a real drive in that started in San Francisco, (there are still locations there.) Lucas used it because he is from Nor Cal. They are still open in multiple west coast cities.

[@jenniferwilliams5834]

That was so interesting! I love learning about 90's aesthetic and how it shaped entertainment. I can't wait until the next part.

[@Blackkittymom]

I remember getting a really bad case of motion sickness in Body Wars back in the 90s. It was intense! I also remember the original Journey Into Imagination and have my OG Figment plushie I got from the gift shop!

[@feist__]

You're not the only one!

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I never experienced it, though I have heard that it was notably more nausea inducing than Star Tours.

[@lololololololol2012]

Man I love your videos , they bring this nostalgic feeling everytime I see the old clips from the 90s. Thanks for the content

[@WDWCentral]

Fun Fact: The Grand Floridian and the Port Orleans resorts date back before Micheal Eisner’s time. PO was originally planned for Pleasure Island, and some earlier more modest plans for the grand Flo existed

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

The New Orleans expansion for the shopping village did seem really interesting. I liked the development of Pleasure Island/Downtown Disney and now Disney Springs, but it would have been really interesting to see the original ideas come to be.

[@alexmurphy8837]

I would love to watch an entire video about Wonders of Life. Of any Disney pavilion/collection of rides, or just specifically Epcot, there was something truly special about it that seemed to have been lost over time, much of it due to Disney neglecting it once MetLife pulled out of its sponsorship with the pavilion. However, so much that existed within those 100,000+ square feet of space had the ability to be updated and improved and honestly, it would make for an incredible collection of things to do had those things happened. Now, it's just a rotting shell of its former self, closed to the public without notice and decaying in front of the public eye since its closure in 2007.

[@alexgeorge501]

I stayed at All-Star music during my Vacation in early 2003, i managed to enjoy many attractions that have now become defunct/updated. (love your bit on the "Coaster wars")

[@aqureilart]

i love this .. i love this so much. the music choice and the way you speak are both so calming and entertaining ... i love this

[@mpeezy358]

I already know I'm going to like this video. Every one you've done I've liked.

[@missdisney1017]

I absolutely love your videos and we have a lot of the same opinions about theme parks! Would love to see a video about the Wonders of Life pavilion. I remember reading about Body Wars and Cranium Command when I was first going to Disney in the early 2000s, but they were already considered “dated” and the pavilion wasn’t doing well. However, it is what got me interested in theme park history and defunct attractions!

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

It really is quite interesting, though I haven't really touched it because so many others have covered it pretty well. It might be fun to do eventually though

[@CharlotteMEllett]

I remember visiting the Electric Umbrella, and the theme was weather. It was a place to get out of the rain, and the decor featured symbols for the different seasons, like the sun and autumn leaves, as well as rain, lightning, etc.

[@bjvincent8786]

Thank You Part 2 this was a great video. That being said my comment will again pertain to Disney mostly because in the late 70's and early 80's my theme park experiences involved places like Cedar Point and a little known theme park called Boblo Island. In the late 80's, 90's and early 2000's involved mostly Disney World vacations. But Disney for me had truly some of the most iconic rides of all time came from that period. Frank Wells and Michael Eisner had a willingness to take chances good and/or bad that is unrivaled to this day. There was a video were four days after Michael Eisner became CEO and Frank Wells became CFO of The Walt Disney Company, they traveled to Walt Disney World to speak to the Cast Members in front of Cinderella's castle at the Magic Kingdom. There was a comment by Frank Wells at the end of the video where he says "if the executives and cast members operate the company the way Walt intended, then the stock price would take care of itself." .Disney under Wells/Eisner was ran 100 times better and focused on guest satisfaction than the circus we have currently.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Even for Eisner's issues, it's a lot easier to forgive in retrospect when you look at the state of things today. He may have been cheap at the end, but at least he still cared about theming and unique experiences.

[@Ndiamond18]

I have a strange affinity for the art deco style. I think it’s the most appealing.

[@AJOak-lk2vr]

Great videos Poseidon. They are comforting.

[@xeno_mania]

Love your videos. Such quality

[@Kevin-bg3wu]

Montu and Kumba can still go head-to-head with any coaster on earth. Timeless perfection.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I do think Montu has been a bit forgotten. Whenever I see a "best coasters in Florida" list, it's always Velocicoaster and Iron Gwazi at the top, with maybe Mako too. Montu really should always be up there too though.

[@twistedimagev2]

have fun on your trip!!! also I remember going to both Medievel Times and the Buffalo Bill Wild West show in Buena Park back in the 90s

[@hootowl2112]

3:43 Hey, that's the Enterprise Motel! My family and I stayed there when I was a kid. Way to pick one that hasn't changed since the 90s!

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Yeah, I went and filmed a lot of building on 192 a few years ago and it all seemed a bit sketchy. I like the idea of the area, but it really has gone far downhill.

[@ninetailsclub]

Thank you for making this and can't wait for part 3

[@CarolCap131]

Wow always a trip in the “ way back machine” when you do a video! My daughter went to college in Orlando in the 90’s and afterwards stayed and worked at Disney, universal, and even in planet Hollywood corporate offices ( along with for the Orlando solar bears hockey team and the Orlando magic). I had annual passes for Disney and universal and visited at least 4 times a year. Weirdly the part that hit me hardest was seeing the peace symbols on the value hotels. That symbol was so very political and controversial in the 60’s with ,in my memory ,being described as an ibm missile inside a circle to originally signify the disarmament movement and then to evolve into giant corporate hotel decoration by the 90’s. Life is certainly long and strange. Thank you for all your dedicated work. Oh and I was certainly one of the people passing by the Barbie show, I saw more of it in your video than I did passing by the stage at Epcot.

[@bretton_woods]

I always consider the "peace" symbol to have been based on the nordic death rune, inside a circle (also used by the "bad dudes from WW2"). I don't think such a symbol should be on a Disney hotel... not to suggest anything nefarious, but perhaps the architect/designer really wasn't aware of the symbols various meanings and interpretations

[@neverend3r]

I remember that Barbie show / VHS advertisement movie. My sister got it in the mail when we were 10 and we still quote it today!

[@redpandaz5146]

I went to Epcot one time, when I was 8, and I remember Mission Space being my favorite attraction there. Also, having been to both the Medieval Times and Pirate Dinner Adventure in Buena Park, I much preferred Pirate Dinner Adventure.

[@after-worknetwork6095]

Your segways in this were extra smooth, keep it up!

[@heyitsbeppa4809]

Hearing iron wolf called reliable and smooth is hilarious, I would say it is not anymore at least lol

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Ah, I mean, for its time. I've certainly heard people talk about painful it was since, but I have to imagine that as B&M improved, it looked worse in retrospect.

[@mcmadness110]

Two critiques, vekoma used a similar track style to arrow, but used more modern design methods, though their track got rough over time, they were smooth at opening and there were no issues with the layout of the SLCs themselves, as can be seen on the Great nor’Easter with the recent retracking. Second, arrow made a suspended coaster while b&m were inverted, as in the arrow one would swing and the b&m and also vekoma’s slc, despite having suspended in the name, are just inverted as they have no free swinging. However the vekoma swinging turns coaster model as well as a few others are actually suspended and swings. In fact, one of the later arrow suspended models (which fixed all the issues with the bat) had its coasters replaced with custom vekoma swinging trains based off their family suspended coaster model. It is called Vampire at Chessington World of Adventures in Greater London, England, UK.

[@AshleySpeaks09]

My new fave channel. This is great work. Omg in part 1 when you showed the McDonald’s Hercules plate I fell out because I had it until a few years ago!! *Zero to hero in no time flat!!!!*

[@Ididntwantayoutubehandl]

Absolutely love this video series. Thank you!

[@fahsky]

I still love Medieval Times as an adult. I went on a few field trips as a kid to the Kissimmee location, & have went to it once & then Buena Park a couple times as an adult with my son. It's still just as awesome!

[@maltisse]

Excellent cant wait for the third. Wonderful series.

[@ralphpootawn6772]

Got to see the buffalo bill show at Disneyland Paris back in 2017. One of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Shame they got rid of it during covid.

[@TeagueChrystie]

These videos are fantastic. Great work, professional as hell.

[@Anynom]

38:35: My family had been living in Jacksonville but made a trip to Chicago over the summer of 1992. So we did visit Six Flags, the lines for Batman insanely long but worth it to be there for the first year of what remains a classic 30 years later.

[@MsDisneylandlover]

My sister n i love that freaking barbie tape. I remember my mom rip brought that barbie tape for us. We were n love with that tape. My poor great aunt rip would watch it with my sister n iol..we knew every line of that tape. I remember a segment n that video at end when they said barbie was the fashion queen n my aunt saying. That she truly was lol. I remember them writing happy birthday barbie n Japanese characters or something like that. N my sister n i taking i believe my aunt's tv guide or some type of paper to write those characters lol. We were so in tune with that lol..thanks for bringing that back to mh memory. Although some time ago. I recently came upon it on KZbin lol..

[@Tati_ab]

Being from NJ and having my six flags be the end of the og coaster wars is so cool lol

[@Bald_Sauerkraut]

Sorry I'm just watching this...I loved part 2 and I look forward to seeing part 3, I remember Shockwave being so rough but so much fun hearing the Aero/coaster war story was great!

[@CostcoBruce]

I would love if you did a full video on Dollywood and the pigeon forge area as a whole

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

He should do Branson and Silver Dollar City, that's where Herschend Family Entertainment got started

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Yeah, that's the plan eventually. I wanted to do it this year but couldn't find the time

[@mikecolletta7527]

You always kill it! Another great video!

[@mpeezy358]

Can you do a video about the Imagineers of yesterday vs The Re-Imagineers of today?

[@stephenraeburn3263]

Safe travels dear friend!! can't wait for Part 3

[@videogames8353]

fascinating about the contemporary interpretations of period theming.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I think so too

[@jerms7775]

Electric umbrella was my go to place at Epcot... They had vinegar packets

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Ah, well then you'll really enjoy the Yorkshire County Fish Shop

[@mpeezy358]

Oh man growing up in Detroit we use to go to Cedar Point at least once a year back in the day. I remember starting with the Blue Streak, Demon Drop, Corkscrew and then I remember when my fav ride of all time opened up, Magnum XL 200, holy crap that was and still is the scariest ride of all time to me, even over the Millennium Force.

[@CeschiArt]

There is also a Medieval Times here in Italy that is still running It's built near our bootleg Universal Studios Hollywood, called Movieland

[@SandierOcean00]

I went to Magic Kingdom and noticed how empty and outdated the transportation and ticket center is. Tens of thousands of people go through there every day but everything is closed because it no longer needed. 36 ticket booths exist and only 3 are open on the week of Christmas. I think you ought to do a video on what you would do this area.

[@ridetrackx]

Another great chapter. Kudos. Wow, I completely forgot about all those different dinner shows! I literally drove past Pirates Dinner Adventure everyday working at Universal. Might have to do with my experience at Medieval Times. I visited once and never went back again. I learned that night that one should never have dinner in dimmed lighting at a show with live animals. The food was cold and the gnats were plenty.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Ah, I went a few years ago and had a much better experience. I thought the food was surprisingly good and everything seemed clean and well maintained. They always seem to be changing. so hopefully they continue offering a better experience.

[@survivordave]

Wow the Pirate Dinner Adventure near Knotts Berry Farm started in 2006? That means I was one of the first patrons, having gone to it in the spring with my high school band class since we were competing in the LA area. To be honest I was disappointed we weren't going to Medieval Times, but the Pirate show was still enjoyable, though I don't remember many details. Our group cheered on the purple pirate. I think I still have the headband I bought somewhere.

[@jhixofficial7634]

Yess been waiting for part 2! Awesome channel

[@user-fe8uq9zp2g]

I love the GVC and Memphis aesthetics and while yes they are dated you find people are super nostalgic for them now when everything looks sterile and white - even McDonald’s. For something like the All Star hotels Disney could just renovate and update so it doesn’t look dated but still fun and camp. When I was a kid we’d always stay at these and they felt so magical and exciting 🥹 the theming maybe cheesy for some but remember Disney world essentially is for kids!

[@dancebrittany23]

I always thought the phrase "Electric Umbrella" was iconic and timeless.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

It's simultaneously outrageously outdated, yet timeless if you have no context.

[@Woobacca]

So weird seeing someone talk about Desperado without shoehorning clips of Lance Burton in.

[@LucyAttwell26]

Love this series!

[@CowboyEntertainment]

Another note, Arrow would use the B&M style supports on more than just Drachen Fire. They became pretty common on Arrow Coasters following Drachen Fire, one example is Tennessee Tornado.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Oh wow, that's also embarrassing, especially since I included it in the video lol

[@_korfee_]

I think IP has a time and place. Huey, Dewie, and Louie are such a cute touch for All Star Sports, and I can see a Hei-Hein and Apua statue doing a similar job at Disney’s Polynesian. However, I think keeping the hotels/rides themselves to have unique storylines is incredibly important, Everest and Big Thunder are popular for a reason!

[@cheetaking243]

Even among B&M models there was a big coaster war going on in the 90s for height, speed, and inversion records. -Raptor at Cedar Point (1994) put big emphasis into "world's tallest, fastest, longest inverted coaster, with SIX inversions," after which Montu at Busch Gardens Tampa (1996) beat all of those records and marketed the hell out of it, and then Alpengeist at Busch Gardens Williamsburg (1997) did the same. (The war stopped after that.) -Ditto for the progression of Mantis at Cedar Point (1996) and Riddler's Revenge at Six Flags Magic Mountain (1998) fighting to be the world's tallest fastest longest stand-up coaster. (And heck, Cedar Point and Six Flags Magic Mountain kept fighting back-and-forth, trading the world record for the park with the most roller coasters multiple times and bragging about it each time.) It was a wild time to be a coaster enthusiast. (Looking forward to seeing how you track the end of this period. As I remember it, it was mostly a combination of skyrocketing coaster costs due to the height getting economically infeasible, then 9/11 taking a huge chunk out of regional travel, and then the Great Recession putting the final nail in the coffin a few years later with every park shifting into cost-cutting mode over boom-economy record-breaking.)

[@STSGuitar16]

I know a lot of people really love to hate Journey into Imagination with Figment (some of which is deserved), but much like the Electric Umbrella, I have some really nostalgic ties to that ride and do enjoy it for what it is. It's the only version of Figment that I have ever known and I still like the guy even though he kinda has that "90s sitcom annoying neighbor" energy in this iteration lol. I know it isn't one of the best disney attractions out there by any stretch, but I still manage to find little details and things throughout the ride that I have just become more attached to. I've always had this thing where I will wonder how and why imagineers select and place the more mundane props into dark ride scenes. Things like the pair of armchairs that you see at one little part of the ride, some random crates here and there, and the various bits of scientific equipment props that show up throughout the ride. All of those totally mundane props often get me thinking more than the more exciting show elements do in some rides like Journey. I will find myself thinking things like, "oh, I wonder who it was that decided that we need a couple of crates right here in this transition scene, this set of funky armchairs should be right at this point of the ride," etc.. For some reason, the tiniest details in Journey are often the ones I find myself thinking about the most. I have a very similar feeling towards the Living with the Land dark ride scenes, which is one of my favorite attractions. I guess that is the nostalgia kicking in there a bit, but I truly have come to know and like so many little things about Journey that I really don't hate the ride. I would absolutely welcome a proper refurb if the intent was to restore it to an updated Dreamfinder era or something similar, but I honestly don't hate the ride as-is like so many other people. Besides, there is probably no chance they would ever go with a character like Dreamfinder who isn't related to some movie at this point anyway lol. The ride could obviously be better, but it is what it is and you might as well try to find stuff that you do like about the ride. Also, great job on the Watcher pod, man! I got so excited when I saw you were on the episode lol. Great choice of attraction to cover as well. Mr. Toad has unmatched vibes.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

I know exactly the feeling you're describing, looking for the small details and wondering what the thought was behind them. I just rode Disneyland's Pirates earlier and looked up into one of the balconies, seeing that there were potted plants up there and wondering who thought to put them there. Most people will never notice them, but without the detail, everything will feel off and so it's important, even when not intended to be noticed. It's not so much that well detailed attractions are a convincing illusion, so much as it's the effort of the illusion that makes them so interesting. I've always kind of liked JIIWF because that's the version I've always known too, but I agree that I wouldn't miss it if there was a real effort to improve on it and bring Dreamfinder back. Apparently Iger REALLY wants Inside Out to go there, but I doubt any changes are coming to the pavilion before he leaves.

[@STSGuitar16]

@@PoseidonEntertainment yes, that’s exactly it! Had a bit of trouble trying to put together the words to really describe it but you nailed it there. Pirates and Haunted Mansion are absolutely perfect for finding and honing in on the tiniest details. Another personal favorite of mine in the mundane ride prop world is that lone random table thing up against the wall right before you exit the ballroom scene in haunted mansion. That one is more strange and memorable to me since there is absolutely no other furniture or set dressing at all in that balcony that you’re riding through except for that one little table up against the wall. Like, 99% of people are only looking out into the ballroom scene and never look anywhere else as they pass through anyway, so who decided that they needed to put one table right there in the dark corner that most people will never notice? I also wonder about where those sorts of things come from. Are they made in-house? Real antique furniture? Where did it begin it’s life and how did it wind up in a Disney ride? Those little seemingly insignificant details are incredibly interesting and just get my brain going in a different way. Sometimes I almost feel like some of those sorts of things are just like my own little secret details that no one else knows about lol, which probably also leads to more nostalgic attachment to those things. They definitely add in a whole other level of detail that really can bring a scene to life and fill up the whole atmosphere of a ride scene. I think even if you don’t consciously take in those details like the potted plants, your brain absolutely does take them in and help you form a complete picture of the atmosphere you are in, which really does make attractions way more immersive. Even though it isn’t my favorite, I would actually be upset if inside out did replace figment. I mean, why the hell are they trying to completely homogenize every park now? Why are parks like Epcot full of rides that belong in the Magic Kingdom (I personally don’t think Inside Out deserves any sort of ride to begin with)? The distinctions between the themes of the parks is getting blurrier and blurrier at this point, which just sucks. I totally understand why Joe Rhode left. The suits are dead set on cheapening the experience in the name of “being fun” and not letting the imagineers (most of which I believe are people like us who do have a deep, real interest in the integrity of the parks and their attractions and want things to be done right) do their jobs correctly. Unfortunately the suits typically win out, so I wouldn’t be shocked at all if they did get rid of Figment in favor of yet another meaningless, boring movie IP re-theme. I mean, if they’re happy to destroy Splash Mountain over absolute BS (I recommend you check this video out if you haven’t heard much about that m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3jPk4ylrKx9prc ), Figment is nothing. I really just hope that one day there will be another CEO who will place the integrity of the parks above the way-too-prevalent soulless cash grab attractions being made now. That’s obviously very unlikely to happen, but one can hope.

[@kalzium8857]

In case you are wondering, part 3 seems to have gotten a copyright strike

[@bretton_woods]

And there is yet another rollercoaster called Shockwave, a stand up coaster at Drayton Manor here in the UK. Part of our own little coaster wars too along with Nemesis at Alton Towers and the previously mentioned Big One in Blackpool, all opening in 1994. And who can forget Vampire at Chessington World of Adventures which was our first suspended coaster (correct me if I am wrong somebody!). I do think your video would actually benefit from mentioning that certain coasters/parks are located in the UK as the layperson may not realise where exactly Blackpool or Alton Towers are (and that indeed there is a world that exists outside of North America!)

[@davidborowski3037]

Woo Kennywood! Phantom's revenge still holds up.

[@Anynom]

18:00: Oh, I so miss the Disney Channel doing those mini-peeks at the parks in between programming. Hell, I miss how the Disney Channel was in first half of the '90s.

[@MuahMan]

I stayed at the Polynesian in 1974 for a week. It was awesome. Monorail right to Magic Kingdom.

[@cathebner2907]

I’m sorry, but the transition between talking about Disney and Mission Space to coasters was so good????? 22:57

[@muppetsretrofan8873]

Although I'm a 2000s person, and I live too far from most theme parks, I have a fondness for theme park history. My mom grew up with 80s and 90s theme parks, and she has told me so many amazing stories about Disney World, EPCOT, and even defunct parks like Six Flags Astroworld! She even told me about The Black Cauldron characters having walkarounds in the Disney Parks, as well as Gurgi's Munchies and Crunchies restaurant in Disney World. I know TBC was a flop in the box office, but I wish Disney at least let the characters still have a little something in the park, even if it's just a small easter egg. Back to topic, I adore King Arthur stories and The Black Cauldron/Chronicles of Prydian, so Medieval Times seems epic to me, and I think 90s roller coasters have a charm to them that can't quite be compared. The entire story of Astroworld's Batman The Ride is super upsetting.

[@AidanRobinson-kl4so]

I wish I was able to visit all of this themed entertainment in the 90s. I was atleast Able to experience the rainforest cafe when I was little and I have recently re visited the rainforest cafe on my recent trip to animal kingdom. And it was just as fun as I remember

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Weirdly, Rainforest Cafe is still around. I can't say the food is very good, but I enjoy the theming.

[@AidanRobinson-kl4so]

I fullly agree

[@JustinCoasters]

40:21 Tennessee Tornado also has tubular supports

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Yeah, you're not wrong lol. That's embarrassing.

[@MatthewSmith-zs2jl]

After watching these videos, I now recall how the Disney Stores in malls used to have little animatronics and much better theming when I was younger. I guess it would have been late 90s and early 2000s or so.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Even stores in Disney's shopping district had little moving figures all over the place too. They don't bother to put in stuff like that anymore because they don't want to maintain them.

[@cataquackwarlord5389]

The thing I remember most about Electric Umbrella was the talking trash cans.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Everyone seems to have fond memories of talking trash cans, but they're always in different locations. I always see PUSH mentioned for Tomorrowland, but I distinctly remember a roving, talking trash can at Rafiki's Planet Watch

[@CodyRushDriving]

Parks today seriously underestimate the value of theming on rides. It's not all about the motions you put the human body through...it's about the full experience. The 90s knew this better, it seems.

[@blah7983]

Universal does! Or else Hagrids wouldn’t have gotten off the ground floor

[@zacg_]

Wild Bill's was my first ever dinner show back in the 90s in southern California, followed a few years later by Arabian Nights in Orlando and Tournament of Kings on Las Vegas. I adore dinner shows. I live within a few hours of Pigeon Forge so I'm spoiled for them now. This video series has been an incredible bit of nostalgia. Themed entertainment was something I adored as a child and the fact that there is so little of it left has been a major disappointment for me as an adult. We still have Rainforest Cafe and Disney and Universal as well as places like Pigeon Forge, Branson, Myrtle Beach and to some extent Wisconsin Dells. But I love going some place and being immersed in storytelling or a different environment. It's why my top bucket list parks are places like Tokyo DisneySea, Efteling and Europa-Park.

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

At the very least, I feel that there's a growing awareness of what's now missing. Meow Wolf has shown me that people still enjoy ultra-themed experiences, but it might need to pivot more towards adults as birth rates have gone down. I think that so much of 90s theming appealed to families and that demographics have just simply changed.

[@LoveStallion]

If you want another great example of the excellence of the 90s: We SoCal kids would happily go on E.T., and before you get on the ride, an employee gives you a card where you could write or type your name. Naturally, adolescent boys would use this opportunity to use something ridiculous or profane, so that when you get to the end and E.T. says farewell to everyone by name, he says, "Goodbye, Fart Face." Truly glorious stuff.

[@OuranNaruBleachClub]

so glad ET is still open in Orlando although its really hard to hear him most of the time and honestly he rarely even reads out all the names in a coherent way 😭

[@mochabean5692]

Would love to see you talk about the “Disneyfication” of Times Square in the 90’s

[@carminecdinoproductions]

Please do a part 3 next!

[@speakingquitefrankly]

If this doesn’t make KZbin rewind I’m suing

[@PoseidonEntertainment]

Well, it won't make rewind, so get your lawyers ready

[@MnMsandOreos]

I remember in grade four social studies, we had our medieval times unit, and of course, we went to Medieval Times in Toronto as a field trip. It’s so historically inaccurate, but we had such a great time

[@SMG2024]

Medieval Times always makes me think of Cable Guy. "Brrrrr-ahh!! Brrrrrrrrrrr-ahh!!"