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Welcome to The Genre Traveler! Please sign up using the form to the right so that you'll get all the latest updates to the site. You also might want to sign up for the RSS feed, which you can do via email or your favorite RSS Reader. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be abducted by aliens? Well, you might soon get your chance if Bryan Temmer, a Florida-based computer technician, gets his way. He wants to build an alien-themed amusement park in Roswell, N.M., and one of the attractions will be a thrill ride that simulates an alien abduction. According to KOAT TV7 Albuquerque, Contour Entertainment, a company that has worked closely with Disney, Universal Studios, and Sony, has been contacted by the city to research and provide initial development plans.

Yesterday, Mary Thurwachter of The Palm Beach Post, posted a rundown of all the Halloween special events taking place at Florida theme parks. She did such a good job of it that, rather than re-invent the wheel, I'm just going to send you along to her story: Ghoulish getaways
Fright tolerance the key to your choice

What is it about Las Vegas that seems to have me come home with the flu? Maybe I got it from SpongeBob Square Pants. You think? Well, I'm filling myself up with Airbourne and resting, but sheesh. Anyway, enough about me. Here are few things I thought you'd be interested in: The British Fantasy Society has begun organizing regional open nights. The next one will be held in York on Oct. 13. The events are organized and run by local volunteers. For more information, visit www.hub-mag.co.uk/bfs/register.htm. The Tokyo Disney Resort will soon be getting its own hotel. The Tokyo Disneyland Hotel is scheduled to open in the summer of 2008. For more information, visit www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/200709/477/. The Fell's Point Ghost Tours, which were mentioned is the premiere issue of The Genre Traveler, have begun some new tours and changed their name to Baltimore Ghost Tours. Mt Vernon GhostWalk covers the hauntings happening in the historic Mt. Vernon area of Baltimore. They've added a pub walk of Fell's Point and matinee tours of the original Ghost Walk. For more information, visit www.fellspointghost.com/. Anime Supercon, a convention for anime, animation, comic book and manga fans, will take place Nov. 30 - Dec. 2, 2007, at The Marriott North in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. The show will include celebrity guests, artists, vendors, Q&A's, parties, costume contests, anime programming, manga, cosplay, workshops, panels, comic books, cosplay photoshoots and more. For more information, visit www.animesupercon.com. Trek fans will want to head on over to StarTrek.com. For the month of October, they will be holding the "Roddenberry's StarTrek.com Scavenger Hunt." If you get all 10 questions of the scavenger hunt within the website correct, you'll qualify to receive a Grand Prize worth more than $800. For more information, visit www.roddenberry.com/?action=site.showcase&sid=7.

I recently learned about this interesting article on MiceAge through ThemeParkInsider. It discusses how Walt Disney World could loose business as the price of oil rises, because there will be less long-distance travel. However, Robert Niles from ThemeParkInsider.com, pointed out that some theme-parks could actually get improved business as locals stay closer to home when on holiday. Although these stories talk mainly about Disney theme parks, I think this could be true of all theme parks and attractions. As travel becomes more and more expensive, people will probably just go to local attractions to relax. What I would like to know is, have the rising travel costs affected your travel plans? Do you think this could effect convention attendance? I mean, many people travel long distances to go to the bigger SF/F/H conventions. Will this trend start to fade?

If you're going to be in Pennsylvania this Saturday through the month of October, you might want to spend a day at Idlewild Park in Ligonier, Pa. Considered one of the best kid's parks in the world, Idlewild will begin this year's Halloween celebrations this weekend. According to a press release, "Many of the park's most popular rides and attractions in Olde Idlewild, Jumpin' Jungle, Hootin' Holler, Raccoon Lagoon and Story Book Forest will be completely redesigned and redecorated in fun Halloween themes." There will also be a variety of family friendly entertainment including Trick or Treating throughout Story Book Forest. On Oct. 6, kids can join the Radio Disney AM 540 Team for some games, music and prizes. This is the third season that Idlewild is putting on Halloboo!, which will run for five consecutive weekends: Sept. 29-30, Oct. 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, and 27-28 from noon to 6p.m. For more information visit: www.idlewild.com.