[Sauron the White]

Its a slow day here. HURIN is not out for two more weeks. There seems no news on the HOBBIT film front. Pretty boring. May I suggest a light topic that could be some fun. Apologies if this was done before but I am new here and could not find this in the archives.

Pretend you turned on the news and heard that the Disney company (or some other mega big bucks outfit if you hate Disney) had just bought all rights from both the Tolkien Estate and the Saul Zaentz company to build a massive park called MIDDLE-EARTH. It would contain attractions, restaurants, shows, rides, and everything else you find at an upscale amusement park but be based on the world created by JRRT in books and film. It would not be a disneyfication of Tolkien but care would be taken to assure reasonable accuracy. So please do not repeat the letter from JRRT about Disney and LOTR. People such as Alan Lee, John Howe and Ted Nasmith would be hired to help design and build it.

Here is my question: what would you like to see in such a place? Imagine a place as large as EPCOT CENTER or MGM STUDIOS completely devoted to Middle-earth. Budget - a billion dollars, maybe two.

My opening suggestion would be a Mines of Moria attraction. In part a slower "look at that" ride and part roller coaster, it would start with the doors opening taking you into the dark, then illumination, up the stairs along the graveyard, along the cliffs looking down into the abyss, deciding which track to take of 3 passegeways, the Great Hall, Balins Tomb complete with orc attack and cave troll, those crazy stairs crumbling, of course the Balrog and the Bridge, and exit into daylight.

Next?