The Signal from Santa Clarita, California • 56

7 ESCAPE GOES ifn ntertained null ut the itops to eep us ioutliland amusement parks I'm 'itVf -'fc '-''4 i ft r- I i rj 'hi i-l i-I I I zr- i .1 4 t-. i If fM I I 7 Jjf 'swiff- 11 i IromTeft to right tahs and camels will occur along the pathways. Tigers feeding on a carcass or gorillas foraging for treats may be included in the mix. Keepers will be close by to give guests a better understanding of how they care for specific animals and what special characteristics and behaviors make each animal unique. Topics cover everything from Arctic polar bears to rainforest reptiles and the relationships they have with these creatures.

Debuting this weekend is "Gorilla Tropics," a revamped habitat featuring a two-tiered viewing area and a window that has doubled in length to 50 feet. Visitors can observe the gorilla climbing on the deadwood logs or playing amid the half-dozen new ficus and palm trees in the A leopard lazes at the San Diego Zoo, where "Close Encounters of the Zoo Kind" might give you a chance to feed him. Tomorrowland has a whole new face at Disneyland, complete with edible shrubbery and rapid rockets. And you thought the parachute drop was tall 'Supreme Scream" is the newest hurl-you-till-you-hurl ride, opening July 1 at Knott's Berry Farm. Seen the ground from upside down? The smoothest operator In SCIaritatown is "Riddler's Revenge" at Magic Mountain.

Raging Waters' newest ride, "El Nifto" takes riders through unexpected twists before dumping them out in a wave pool. By Carok Rock Signal Entertainment Editor It's Memorial Day weekend. Caught some of us by surprise, we'll admit, but southland amusement parks are ready for the onslaught of relatives and otherwise strange visitors who will descend upon your spare rooms (or your living room couch) because you're so close to the coolest entertainment. Sit bad, relax and let Escape take you through the newest and brightest things Southern California amusement parks have to offer in our wrap-up tribute to Summer '98. In no particular order, here goes! San Diego ZooWild Animal Park What can you say about the world's most popular zoo except "wow" when they introduce yet another way to get up close and personal with the animal kingdom.

Two new summer programs, "Morning Zoo Rise" and "Close Encounters of the Zoo Kind" have debuted this season and invite a unique learning experience. "Morning Zoo Rise" gives early-rising guests an opportunity to enjoy the unique waking patterns. of different animals. The games will open at 7:30 a.m., allowing guests to enjoy one of four featured zones within the Zoo each day. Seeing the animals in the early morning tranquility might give them a different perspective from the traditional mid-day behavior they may have observed in the past.

Coffee carts will be available for humans needing some breakfast-type bolstering. Guests craving a keeper's-eye view of the animals might be interested in the "Close Encounters" program, which offers a variety of interactive opportunities and surprise encounters. One some days, children may be invited into enclosures to help keepers feed Galapagos tortoises and scatter acacia branches for giraffes. On other days, encounters with sea lions, chee- E10 ESCAPE, THE SIGNAL, Friday, May 22, 1998 the "Mission to Mars" attraction area has been reconfigured for "Redd Rockett's Pizza Port," which will feature a variety of freshly-made salads, pastas and pizzas in the park's first food-court style restaurant. The decor will be reminiscent of the classic "Atomic Age" style of the 1950s and a 50-foot tall replica of the needle-nosed Moonliner Rocket which towered over the original Tomorrowland has been placed on an elevated launching pad, to double as a dispenser for bottled soft drinks which will be "launched" into server's hands.

At press time, we still hadn't had the Tomorrowland experience, but future issues of Escape will clue you in to the fun. In addition to Tomorrowland, the magic of Disneyland comes to life in eight "themed lands:" Adventureland, Critter Country, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Main Street, U.S.A., New Orleans Square and Mickey's Toontown. The park is open 365 days a year and offers extended operating hours dur ing holidays and the summer months. A bit of trivia: during the past 12 months, the park received just over 7 million phone calls. The most frequently called person: Mickey Mouse.

One-day admission: Adults (over age 11) $38 per day; child (age 3-11), $28, senior $36 and guided tours (everything except arcades) are $50 for adults, $38 for children. Questions? Mickey's number is (714) 781-4565. Knott's Berry Farm Knott's Berry Farm is currently undergoing the most ambitious expansion in its 78-year history. Now a member of the Cedar Fair L.P. family of amusement parks and resorts, the 150-acre park anticipates at least six major rides, shows and attractions to debut before early 1999.

Those ready for your entertainment pleasure are: MORE! See AMUSE, page 12 Friday, May 22, 1998, ESCAPE, THE SIGNAL El 1 area for Rocket Rods, featuring transportation-themed videos and movie clips on the surrounding screens. "Captain Eo" has moved to another galaxy to make room for "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience," an interactive simulator presentation that literally picks up the floor and shakes it out during a 3-D movie enjoyed by glasses-wearing 8UAnd there's more! The previously nondescript entrance to Tomorrowland has been revamped to include the ridesculpture "Astro Orbitor" that features revolving orbs along with spinning spacecrafts. The favorites "Space Mountain and "Star Tours" have been spit-polished and given a new patina of seasoned copper with shades of green and gold to highlight. Finally, The zoo encompasses 100 acres of gardens and habitats for more than 4,000 rare and endangered birds, mammals and reptiles, including rare giant pandas, the only pandas in the United States. The zoo opens daily at 9 a.m., closing times vary by season.

For current hours and prices, call (619) 234-3153. The San Diego Zoo is operated by the Zoological Society of San Diego, which also operates the San Diego Wild Animal Park, a large preserve located 32 miles north of San Diego, where more than 3,000 animals roam. A guided monorail tour is include with park admission or guests can walk the Kilimanjaro Safari Walk, explore exotic gardens or enjoy the Africa-styled Nairobi Village and Heart of Animal Park, call (760) 796-5621. Disneyland Tomorrowland is where Disney has focused its attention this year. The People Mover, that slow ambling observation car that took 14 minutes to go around the track (how many of us used it to lull little ones to sleep?) has been replaced with Rocket Rods, that cut 1 1 minutes off the ride and whip us through the air with futuristic abandon.

"America Sings" is history, replaced by "Innoventions," a multi-media look at how we live in our various environments and how we might be living in the years to come. "Circlevision" has been tweaked as a waiting Africa exhibits. For summer, the SDWAP's four-acre conifer forest has been transformed into "the land before time" complete with robotic dinosaurs such as the flesh-eating Allosaurus, the desert-dwelling Dilphosaurus, the towering Tyrannosaurus rex and the sickle-footed Deinonychus. They are joined by the mom and baby Amargasaurus, the armored Ankylosaurus, fishing kind Baryonx and horned bully Torosaurus. The robots' tails swish, necks stretch, legs step and jaws open and close, all due to an intricate computer control system.

The display is part of the park's Special Events department. For information on the San Diego Wild.