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2008 preview: Hard Rock theme park

Fourth in a series: 2008 amusement and theme park preview

What do you get when you mash together the Moody Blues, Led Zeppelin, Bon Jovi, Queen and the Allman Brothers? Hard Rock Park, the first major regional theme park of the decade.

The $400-million rock ‘n’ roll theme park in Myrtle Beach, S.C., opens in April 2008 with more than 40 rides and attractions (check out the webcam).

Here are the highlights of the 140-acre park, which will be divided into five musical lands:

Rock & Roll Heaven
* The 4,000-foot-long, 150-foot-tall Led Zeppelin: the Ride looping steel coaster features a “Whole Lotta Love” soundtrack
* Reggae River Falls water play area

Led Zeppelin - The Ride British Invasion
* Maximum RPM coaster with a Ferris wheel-style lift
* All the King’s Horses carousel
* Magic Mushroom Garden airboat ride
* Punk Pit bounce house

Lost in the ’70s
* A laser, smoke and special effects-laden Nights in White Satin dark ride featuring the Moody Blues song

Born in the USA
* Slippery When Wet water-themed suspended coaster featuring a Bon Jovi soundtrack
* Shake, Rattle ‘n’ Rollercoaster for the kids
* Hard Rock Live amphitheater

Cool Country
* Midnight Rider coaster featuring the Allman Brothers song
* Heavy Metal Graveyard automobile junkyard
* Icehouse concert theater

The new park also plans to announce an evening fireworks show based on Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” according to Screamscape.

You can find all the blog entries in the 2008 Preview Series on the theme park page.

Is Hard Rock Park worth a “trip” to South Carolina?

— Brady MacDonald, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

[Image: Hard Rock Park]

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 27, 2007 at 12:02 pm by Brady MacDonald and is filed under East Coast, Family & Kids, Southern States, Theme Parks. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.

6 Comments on “2008 preview: Hard Rock theme park”

LA Times Features Hard Rock Park at Hard Rock Park Blog.com Says:
January 21st, 2008 at 12:12 pm
[...] The Los Angeles Times as written a 2008 preview of Hard Rock Park. The article does a great job highlighting the park. [...]
Brady MacDonald Says:
February 11th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Screamscape posts a 100-photo behind-the-scenes tour of the still under-construction Hard Rock Park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

— Brady MacDonald / Los Angeles Times staff write + theme park blogger
Micheal USA Says:
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:26 pm
very disappointing.
Too many of the rides were shut down and MAx RPM wasnt even operational.
Most of the entertainment stages were empty and the Employees were less than professional.
The food was expensive and of poor quailty and a lot of the snack stands were closed. After paying $272 for 5 people to get it , we fely a little short changed.
After a couple of hours it gets rather boring.
For the money - it isnt worth it, needs improvement.
Claire Says:
June 4th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
I was very disappointed with this park. I found admission to be hugely overpriced for what was offered. There was only one decent roller coaster, and even it fell a little flat towards the end of it. As with most theme parks, the food was overpriced, but was ok. The stage productions were kinda cheesy and predictable. I found the staff to be friendly and helpful, but other than that, it was a very unexciting experience. We got there just after 4pm and were finished by 6pm… not exactly worth $50. I suggest that the park operators compare their prices with other parks in the area, such as Carowinds or Kings Dominion. Both of these parks offer far more attractions at a much better price. If you are visiting the Myrtle Beach area, I would suggest thinking twice about visiting this park. If you like theme parks just to walk around and enjoy the scenery, great, but if you like a theme park to offer you some excitement, I suggest saving your money for something better.
megan Says:
August 10th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
we just came back from hardrock theme park.. my only advice is … DO NOT GO!!!!! its the worst place we have ever been.. within one hour we were bored … hot ( there is not shade what so ever) and very angry that we paid so much money to get in to a place like that… shows are horriable… just a couple of rides.. .. save your money.. this park is a waste of time….
NMBtraveler Says:
August 17th, 2008 at 8:47 am
I totally agree with the other reviewers! The Hard Rock Theme Park is incredibly overpriced for what you get. I realize the park is supposed to be comparable with a Disney World type theme park, but it is no where NEAR that level of a theme park. I think the city of Myrtle Beach needs to realize that people spend an awful lot of money just to TRAVEL to Myrtle Beach (many people from all over the country) and by the time they spend money on gas to get there, their lodging for a week and groceries, the average family is NOT going to turn around and spend another $250 just to come to a theme park that only offers 8 rides and a few shows. As a weary traveling consumer who comes to MB every year myself, I just want an economically priced amusement park that my children can enjoy for a few hours that doesn’t empty out my wallet completely just to get in. (LIKE the Pavilion that was torn down in 2006..THAT place was perfection!! Affordable prices, lots of rides. Torn down to build condos??? I drove by there last week and there’s nothing there but an empty lawn. What’s up with that?)
Anyways, the Hard Rock park only has about 8 rides and a few shows that are a little on the cheesy side. I felt downright sorry for the performers, so many of THEM performing for about 10 or 12 spectators at each showing. The carnival type games were ridiculously priced (again, especially after you’ve just paid upwards of $300 just to get IN). The food was overpriced too. I kept expecting rides around every corner but what I got was ordinary, made to look fancy and fun, blow ups for children to jump around in (Punk Pit Bounce House) and a room for shooting rubber balls at one another???? Disappointing. And shop after shop after shop of, again, overpriced t-shirts and knick knacks nobody wants to buy. The Bohemian Rhapsody Fireworks kept being advertised all around the park all evening. So, I thought at least my son might enjoy that. But, again, disappointment set in when the fireworks show only lasted about 4 minutes. The Maximum RPM coaster was shut down after we’d waited in line for about 30 minutes. And in the Nights in White Satin ride, there is no one to tell you where to go once you get in there. We entered to find two entry ways with 70’s beads hanging down but NO directions as to which entry way to go INTO to ride the ride. Luckily my husband just GUESSED correctly and we finally found the actual ride. Had we gone in the other entry way, there’s no telling what we would’ve found. (The ride operators taking their break maybe??) But again, NO directions as to where to go and what to do. We had to wing it on our own. The two ride operators at the little Taxi Cab ride were flirting and talking with each other more than they were paying attention to the riders and the ride.
So, from one traveling family to another, don’t bother with the Hard Rock Park. Its WAY WAY WAY overpriced for what you get. If they would drop their prices to about $25 a person for adults and maybe $15 for children, then this place might be worth it, but the way it is NOW….not so much!! Save your money and go to Family Kingdom!