iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

As much as I love the retro futurism of old EPCOT and the Carrousel of Progress, it hits different in the age of AI. Kinda saps that feeling of naive optimism😔

000

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Ulrike Ottinger's Prater (2007)🎡 Wow what a gem! This might be my new favourite film. An incredible overview of Vienna Prater and its fascinating history, up until then-current day. If you're at all interested in the history of amusements I can't recommend this enough!! 10/10

000

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

I gotta say, DLP was looking gorgeous last visit, probably the best I'd ever seen it. There's areas that still need a lot of TLC (Fort Comstock, parts of Adventure Isle etc.) but for the most part it's looking absolutely stunning. Especially with the Spring planting!

010

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

I still keep the last free Fastpass I ever got at Disneyland Paris in my wallet, like a photo of my husband lost at sea. Miss you 💔

020

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

The Paris Tower of Terror is still a beautifully themed, thrilling attraction, but the original ride sequence and show scenes were FAR superior. The current version feels (and looks) like a cheap Halloween overlay on an otherwise perfect attraction. Please Disney, bring back Mr Serling!

010

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

Everywhere I look something reminds me of her 💔

010

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

Phantom Manor, my beloved 💜 Always my unconditional fave, but I was really missing the old version this visit. On a technical level it looks great, but they clearly didn't understand the original melodramatic tone with its Victorian gothic tragedy influences.

010

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

I wish they wouldn't bother with "reimagining" it and just put in enough money to get it back open. With them struggling it'd make more sense financially. And I don't really have much faith in their design choices given how everything recently has been AI rubbish

010

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

Same, I suspect that may have been the plan originally but every department is stretched super thin right now (theres literally just 2 people in the model shop doing all the scenic work for all their deteriorating rides). But Mandys gotta have her two Hot Ice shows I guess 🙃

100

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

As excited as I am for Aviktas I'm more anxious to know what is or isn't happening next door. It's been 2 years since River Caves last operated. I hope management realise what an important piece of history it is. Whatevers happening, swinging over a sad derelict looking ride will sure be interesting

120

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

Its not a huge step above the classic Fantasy land dark rides.

010

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

Yeah, I mean obviously I knew it wouldn't be that. I've done the Florida version. But seeing the POV I couldn't help but think wow... that's really THE main draw of this new expansion?

110

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Microsoft's Project Helix logo looks familiar for some reason🤔

010

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

Went to a screening of the 1925 silent film The Phantom of the Opera yesterday. It was super cool to see the visual influences on DLP's Phantom Manor! (miss you original finale Phantom💀)

000

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Some of you people talking about the Merlin disability passes really sound a lot like the "lazy people claim benefits" crowd. Just sayin.

020

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Another small UK park gone. Sign of the times innit. I visited briefly a couple of years ago just for the Astro Storm coaster and their surprisingly decent ghost train, Terror Castle. I hope Astro Storm can survive yet another closure!

010

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

The saga continues. So their excuse for the closure boils down to "we'd have to do daily safety checks". You mean like every ride ever? What a joke. Classic health n safety coverup for a spineless financial decision.

021

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

The "Creative Call Out" is hilariously lazy too. They haven't got any ideas, so why not give it to the public?? It reads like a uni project brief. Side note, given that 100k+ is listed last, I expect they don't want to spend a huge amount of money on it.

040

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

Interesting statement from the Dreamland Heritage Trust on the closure of the Scenic Railway. Evidently Live Nation have the means to continue operating the ride but simply don't want to. They obviously don't care about the park, besides it serving as a backdrop for the music venue.

000

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Everyone losing their minds over Merlin's bland rebrand. Where was the outrage when they attempted to ban trans people from their park bathrooms?

010

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

I don't love the current logo either but at least it looks like they're an ents/attractions based company!

000

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

Not much, just the new Merlin branding that makes them look like a banking app X)

100

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

Yes! More bland corporate minimalism in our theme parks! That's what we want!

100

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

I still use it, regrettably, tho I try to limit my interactions. Cos I've not had much success sharing my work/thoughts anywhere else. I did notice a sharp drop in engagement but it didn't pick up anywhere else.

000

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

There was, but it dropped off pretty fast =/

000

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

The Flying Trunk was one of my favourite attractions at Tivoli. A very charming dark ride that takes you on a whistle-stop tour through the stories of Hans Christian Anderson. Perfect for the park that inspired him!

010

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

Surprised that there aren't any head chopper elements on Falcons Flight considering where it is.

020

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

Somehow I don't think much thought went into it :P

010

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

Its just soooo lazy. Like, you're already spending all that money. Why not try just slightly harder with the design before immortalising it in fibreglass?

100

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

Let's play trace the snake! Can you follow the Aviktas snake from its head to its tail? No? It must be the mysterious power of Aviktas! Or maybe its because its a recreation of something spat out by AI. You could just... draw a snake. Or at least look at a picture of one.

120

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

I'm tempted to make Efteling's Chinese Nightingale next.

091

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

It was honestly quite overwhelming, I might've got a bit teary eyed 😅

000

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

Tivoli Gardens may well be the prettiest place I've ever stepped foot in. And that's especially true at Christmas, at night!

081

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

Crazy how this is the first thing you see leaving Copenhagen central station ❤️

030

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

Daemonen is pretty good. Short, but better than I expected. What's more impressive though is the fact that they're even operating this thing with all the construction going on. Just look at it!

010

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

First visit to Tivoli Gardens today! Such a charming beautiful park, I'm very impressed so far.

120

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 20/12/2025

Fantastic little exhibition. Loved seeing the models from the first film, I thought everything had been burnt up in the studio fire!

100

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

Some seriously questionable decisions by Efteling management over the past few years. For every one good thing, there's another that I really disagree with. Let's not forget what makes Efteling so special in the first place, yeah?

021

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

Welp. I guess that's it. They really are demolishing the Chinese Nightingale. One of the most beautiful and atmospheric fairytales in the park =/

020

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

If Efteling demolishes The Chinese Nightingale we riot.

020

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

Pleasure Beach's heritage rides, or at least those with a listed status, really ought to qualify for some sort of Lottery or council funding. It'd relieve them of a significant financial burden.

010

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

Upon further reading the @looopings.nl article on this, it doesn't even have any interactive elements??? So there's really no point at all in it being AI, other than being just for the sake of it or not having to pay actors...

000

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

Not to mention how totally soulless and insipid this is. What makes Efteling so special is the human touch, and this is the anthesis of that. Shame on whoever allowed this, I hope the fanbase kicks up a fuss.

011

Oli Barnacle 🎢🎵🖌️ @olibarnacle.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

Considering how important being environmentally conscious is to the Efteling brand (supposedly), this feels extremely hypocritical. Just because it might not directly affect their carbon emissions doesn't mean the tech behind it isn't incredibly bad for the environment🙄

030