From: smith@ctron.com (Lawrence C Smith)
Subject: ONLINE: RFD: rec.theme-parks
Date: 8 Aug 1993
Organization: Cabletron Systems, Inc.


Crossposted from news.groups


Walt Disney invented the idea and concept of the theme park many years
ago, and discussion of his versions of the idea are a popular topic in
rec.arts.  disney, but more and more companies today are getting into
the business.  Universal Studios now operates theme parks in both
California and Florida, and Paramount's recent acquisition of the Six
Flags line of parks and their determination to build them up into real
competition for Disney show us that theme parks are moving into big
business.

Many other theme parks operate as smaller concerns.  Such New England
fare as Plimoth Plantation [sic], Canterbury Shaker Village, Mystic
Seaport, and others; Virginia's Colonial Williamsburg, Denmark's
Legoland, which is even now contemplating opening a similar park in
the United States, and many other similar parks, all show the wide
range of themes to be found.

Discussion of theme parks on the net really has no home.  A few
postings about Universal Studios has appeared in rec.arts.disney,
sometimes to a distinctly hostile response as "non-Disney" material.
I think these amusement centers are going to be a big part of the
entertainment scene in the future, and that a newsgroup would be a
logical place for people to swap information about theme parks of all
sorts, everywhere in the world, including Disney.


Charter: unmoderated

  rec.theme-parts is dedicated to the discussion of theme-parks.  A theme
  park is an attraction designed to provide entertainment or education based
  on a theme.  Some examples include Disneyland, Universal Studios, Colonial
  Williamsburg, and Legoland.  Some are designed to preserve a piece of
  history, such as Plimoth Plantation in Masschusetts, others celebrate
  cultural phenomena, such as The Magic Kingdom.  Discussion of all such
  entertainment complexes would be welcome.

  rec.theme-parks will provide a forum for netters to discuss the features
  of various theme parks, to review new additions to various parks, to act
  as a clearinghouse for tips and bits of useful information when travelling
  to various theme parks, and to learn about parks that are not well-
  publicised (which is _many_ of them).

This new newsgroup might be construed as a "split" of rec.arts.disney,
and in a sense I suppose it might be, since it will encourage some of
the theme- park specific traffic to find a new home, but I think it
will not affect rec.arts.disney very greatly.  True, Disney is still
the largest and best- known example of theme park, and I suspect that
much discussion of their parks will remain tightly coupled with other
Disney traffic, and will continue to find a home in rec.arts.disney.
But "newbie" questions about the parks, what is in them, when they are
open, and so on, will find an alternative home that is not restricted
soley to the Disney product.

Larry Smith (smith@ctron.com)  No, I don't speak for Cabletron.  Need you ask?

Liberty is not the freedom to do whatever we want,
it is the freedom to do whatever we are able.