Entertainment

I was wondering what the best amusement park live entertainment show you guys have ever seen. I think it's kind of an overlooked aspect of theme parks that i really love. This weekend for example, at the Palace Theatre I saw Chris Linn, a magicain, but a funny one, and not one of those cheesy joke, yuck it up ones either, his material was genuienly funny and original, the best park material I've seen in years... so what have some of you guys' experiences been?

Well last years starstruck and this years halloween show at cedar point monsters rock back from the grave.

I agree that live entertainment can add a lot of value to a park and help make the overall park experience complete. Unfortunately, most amusement park shows fall are the standard "salute to the...(70's, America, TV, Decades....etc)" with the same dancing, singing, bland dialog, poodle skirts and zoot suits. Even Cedar Point's summer show line-up is almost all just versions of the same thing. Lots of song and dance, not a lot of variety.

Cedar Point does have great entertainment variety, however, when it comes to the Halloweekends. During Halloweekends you have rock and roll, comedy, and even dramatic theater! I visit during Halloweekends at least 2-3 times every season and I always try to catch at least 2 shows every time. I agree with Drewball that Chris Linns' show is very funny and unlike anything I have seen before at a park. I do not think my girlfriend and I have laughed more at an amusement park show anywhere than we did at this show. My girlfriend said it was every bit as good as some of the comedy shows we pay good $$$ to see in Vegas. The other show that really stands out is Monsters Rock. Again, the entertainers in this show are TRULY TALENTED, and they could easily be in a show that commands a good ticket price, but it is all part of the value you get with your Cedar Point admission - not a bad deal. I think part of what makes the above two shows stand out is that Cedar Point is bringing in professional entertainers - not just college students hoping for a singing career. The shows were not created using the typical "amusement park show formula" and it shows, and the audiences appreciate it.

My other favorite show is the Trio of Terror. Where else can you go to an amusement park and see an actor doing a dramatic dialog? It is great - especially Telltale Heart, but the two new shows are growing on me too.

The best theme park show? Fantasmic at Disneyland. No contest.

Other good shows I've seen: Aladdin at California Adventure, the Irish Dance show at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, the Snoopy on Ice show at CP, and the laser show at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.

Count me as not a huge fan of the "Salute to whatever" revues, though Billy Hill and the Hillbillys at Disneyland is one of the better ones.

Dollywood puts on some incredible stage shows. I saw the holiday show in their main theater and I was amazed when the curtain opened and a nearly full size cabin with smoking chimney was sitting on stage. The thing even opened up to reveal the inside of the "house".

Obviously, the shows lean country but the entertainers are really top notch. Even their rock and roll concert was staged very well.

Fantasmic at MGM is the best outdoor show I've seen. The Tarzan show at Animal Kingdom was excellent as was the Legend of the Lion King show.

Disneyland's version has a Pan vs. Hook battle on the Columbia, complete with high-wire hijinks. (I believe in place of the Pocohontas scene in MGM's version.) Good times. Though I wasn't as impressed with the overall show, the Snow White show running in the Fantasyland Theater in DL right now has a Dwarves House similar to the Dollywood log cabin, though it's all Disneyfied.

I'm looking forward to making the comparison between the two personally, as I am seeing the other shows at MGM and AK. Hopefully, the Lights Motors Action show cloned from the Paris Studios will be open by the time I'm there this Feb.

*** Edited 10/12/2004 5:02:10 PM UTC by Brian Noble***