Erich Von Daniken's got his own theme park?

[Kilik]

Is this a real theme park?

http://www.mysterypark.ch/img1/MysteryPark.jpg
http://www.mysterypark.ch/

Graham Hancock said he doesn't agree with VOn Daniken's theories but he respects is open mindedness and willingness to challenge conventional viewpoints

[Psiload]

Fantasyland.

[LTC8K6]

What makes you question the reality of the park?

[SwissSkeptic]

Yep, it's real. Not much to see there, though.
ETA: I think I see a pattern: Hovind got his "Dino Adventure Park", von Daeniken got "Mystery Park" and I'm fully expecting to see Uri Geller's "Bent Spoon Adventure Paradise" next.

[Kilik]

I had just never heard of it before. And the fact that is looks pretty large and really nice. I guess a lot of money came in from his books!

[SwissSkeptic]

I've read in the local papers that this Mystery Park turned into a losing deal after a good first year, so I guess he'll have to write some more books soon.

[Adrian]

I like that he has his office in the funny orb thing in the center, very mad scientist.

[LTC8K6]

I guess a lot of money came in from his books!

I guess a lot of investors are not too bright....

[Alphaba]

I'm fully expecting to see Uri Geller's "Bent Spoon Adventure Paradise" next. Wouldn't work because since 1999 too much people have seen a 6-8 years old explaining the trick:Boy: Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth.
Neo: What truth?
Boy: There is no spoon.
Neo: There is no spoon?
Boy: Then you'll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.

[Bentspoon]

Swisssketic wrote "I think I see a pattern: Hovind got his "Dino Adventure Park", von Daeniken got "Mystery Park" and I'm fully expecting to see Uri Geller's "Bent Spoon Adventure Paradise" next."


I already have the Bentspoon Adventure Paradise in my bedroom

[Bentspoon]

Swisssketic wrote "I think I see a pattern: Hovind got his "Dino Adventure Park", von Daeniken got "Mystery Park" and I'm fully expecting to see Uri Geller's "Bent Spoon Adventure Paradise" next."


I already have the Bentspoon Adventure Paradise in my bedroom.

Ladie's ride for free

Bentspoon

[Zep]

FWIW, Our former friend and believer in all the orbs and ghosts that have ever haunted a house, Winston Wu, was invited to give an all-expenses-paid talk there last year, on the basis of the popularity of his "Debunking The Skeptics" paper. This was to celebrate the official opening of this little pile of nonsense in the picture. (And if you don't know Winston's essay, it's been thoroughly analysed and declared a pile of stinking possum droppings by a number of people since about 1996, but Winston and people like Victor Zammit still keep hawking it about like it is God's own truth.)

Anyway, Winston thought he was running with the big dogs, but as fate would have it, they cancelled him! Awww! No free trip to the bright new woo-woo believer's playground, no Swiss girls to ogle (Winston is a devotee of slutty Russian hookers anyway), and no ground-breaking international speech for that boy! Instead, he's still in north-west USA somewhere, trying to be an actor! When he's not blowing his money on Russian hookers...

[c4ts]

Is this a real theme park?

http://www.mysterypark.ch/img1/MysteryPark.jpg
http://www.mysterypark.ch/

Graham Hancock said he doesn't agree with VOn Daniken's theories but he respects is open mindedness and willingness to challenge conventional viewpoints

The architecture is so bad it looks like an EPCOT knock-off!

[Dr Adequate]

Graham Hancock said he doesn't agree with VOn Daniken's theories but he respects is open mindedness and willingness to challenge conventional viewpoints This is the same Erich von Daniken who was caught faking evidence to challenge those pesky "conventional viewpoints", and then, when his fraud was exposed, explained he did it because "some people won't believe without evidence".

Well, I can see why Graham Hancock respects him. A man sufficiently "open minded" to commit fraud rather than admit he's wrong has the sort of "open mind" that Hancock would just love.

[Kilik]

That might only be a small issue in the big scheme of things. Much of science that is claimed as fact is also not really right, and is often changed and changes with the times and people who are scientists.

I respect what Graham Hancock has done and alot of his work. I haven't read an Erich Von Daniken book.

Here is the thread
http://www.grahamhancock.com/phorum/read.php?f=1&i=194067&t=193975

[Bronze Dog]

The architecture is so bad it looks like an EPCOT knock-off!
A bad Epcot knock-off. Looks like a giant, cheaply manufactured toyset.

[Odin]

http://www.mysterypark.ch/index.html?&page_id=82&node=131&level=0&l=1

panoramic views inside!

[Dr Adequate]

That might only be a small issue in the big scheme of things. Much of science that is claimed as fact is also not really right, and is often changed and changes with the times and people who are scientists. Wow, that's such a great excuse for perpetrating fraud.

[Kilik]

everyone, scientist or not, is simply promoting their opinion for various reasons, none of which can be fully right. Science is a religion and belief system as much as anything else. In fact, even most religous people, what they really believe is not their religion or their god. What they really believe in deep down is science.

[c4ts]

everyone, scientist or not, is simply promoting their opinion for various reasons, none of which can be fully right. Science is a religion and belief system as much as anything else. In fact, even most religous people, what they really believe is not their religion or their god. What they really believe in deep down is science.

Just because you live in a box doesn't mean everyone else has to.

[Francois Tremblay]

If you really believe that science is a religion, or that religion is science, or whatever, then why you are criticizing our religion ?

[Zep]

Incidentally, the word on the grapevine is that the above theme-park is losing money hand over fist. And the locals think it's an eyesore. In Switzerland, eyesores are not well tolerated.

[Hawk one]

Thank Ed for small blessings, Zep.

[Kilik]

Looks like it might be really cool. It looks quite big.

[SwissSkeptic]

In Switzerland, eyesores are not well tolerated.

Thanks Zep, that makes me feel much, much better. (Edit: In fact, it makes me feel so much better that I'll quote it in my sig) :D

And Kilik, it is not "really cool". It's boring. It's dull. The attendance declines faster than they could possibly react. How many, five years after its opening people already talk about its virtu instead of its economic value. It may look like Disneyland for believers from outside, but it's really as corny as the beliefs represented therein. More of a museum than Disneyland.

[Mojo]

Ladie's ride for free AHRRRGH (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=45550)!

[Zep]

Thanks Zep, that makes me feel much, much better. (Edit: In fact, it makes me feel so much better that I'll quote it in my sig) :D

And Kilik, it is not "really cool". It's boring. It's dull. The attendance declines faster than they could possibly react. How many, five years after its opening people already talk about its virtu instead of its economic value. It may look like Disneyland for believers from outside, but it's really as corny as the beliefs represented therein. More of a museum than Disneyland.My pleasure!

Actually, if it DOES fold up financially, I wonder if it can be turned into a Skeptic Theme Park? Certainly we would not have to change any of the contents, just add signs describing why each exhibit is such plain bollocks!

[kookbreaker]

Incidentally, the word on the grapevine is that the above theme-park is losing money hand over fist. And the locals think it's an eyesore. In Switzerland, eyesores are not well tolerated.

The woowoo market has a very intense, but very short attention span. One can make money fast by appealling to it it some manner or another, but for the long term any such thing will fail:

Examples:

Omni magazine: after they went with mostly woowoo junk articles.
Crossing Over: Fury and fast Fade.
The Bermuda Triangle: The seventies were over and so was it.

[Yeah_Right]

I'm thinking that if Graham Hancock built a theme part it'd look exactly like Von Daniken's.

[c4ts]

I had this idea for an Alex Chiu ride. It's two of those centerfuge rides, one stacked on top of the other, and they rotate in opposite directions. And that makes you immortal.

[Solitaire]

Swiss Mystery Park Needs Savior To Materialize (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060411/od_nm/mystery_park_dc;_ylt=AqltFOrFr9RdNwzQZY0LXQ6s0NUE; _ylu=X3oDMTA3NW1oMDRpBHNlYwM3NTc-)

ZURICH (Reuters) - Long ago, astronauts from outer space visited earth to lay the foundations for human civilization, Erich von Daeniken says. Now, the Swiss writer and businessman hopes for a visitor wealthy enough to save his Mystery Park theme park in Interlaken from financial collapse. The park, set up by the author of bestsellers such as "Chariots of the Gods" and "The Gods were Astronauts," has failed to attract enough visitors and needs 4 million Swiss francs ($3.08 million) in cash to stay in business. The park's attractions -- which showcase giant drawings in the Peruvian desert that may once have been signs for visiting spacecraft, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and more -- may close forever if the group does not find the money.

I guess Randi cannot help after all.
Need to up the prize to ten million.

[westphalia]

The only theme park von Daeniken enjoys is in his head. Poor, deluded fellow.

[Gargoyle]

Daeniken really, really need his Godly Astronaut-friends now!
So where are they?


Hello??

[MichelQC]

My pleasure!

Actually, if it DOES fold up financially, I wonder if it can be turned into a Skeptic Theme Park? Certainly we would not have to change any of the contents, just add signs describing why each exhibit is such plain bollocks!

Great idea, but somehow I doubt it would catch on. Sadly still too many people are more interested in fairy tales then with reality. That is why Disney is not in the museum business! :(

[Psiload]

It's over, Johnny.

http://www.mysterypark.ch/index.php?id=20&L=1

Mystery Park has closed.

[Sugriva]

This is the same Erich von Daniken who was caught faking evidence to challenge those pesky "conventional viewpoints", and then, when his fraud was exposed, explained he did it because "some people won't believe without evidence".
Well, I can see why Graham Hancock respects him. A man sufficiently "open minded" to commit fraud rather than admit he's wrong has the sort of "open mind" that Hancock would just love.
The very same Daniken who argues in The Gold of the Gods that our ancestors learned anatomy from cosmic beings since they were able to create detailed carvings of the human skeleton..... centuries before Roentgen was born!
;)
Yep, I have as much respect for Hancock as I do Daniken.
It's over, Johnny.
Noooooo! What is Zecharia Sitchin going to do with all his Daniken Fun Money tokens now!?!?!?!
Similar to regular money, but fun.