So where exactly is the RAE still active?

[anastaciacominatcha]

I was wondering on this tonight. My big question was does anyone know how the Middle East (Dubai, Lebanon) places are doing? I watched a clip entitled 'Rae in Saudi Arabia' and thought the music was pretty cool...just wondered if any of those were still up and running.

To add to that (based on the known few locations) I think we need a comphrensive 'Active Resteraunts featuring the RAE' list. Are any of the US resteraunts still going? To my (fuzzy) memory the only one not defunct would be that crappy one in the gang CA town LOL!!!

And what of other countries? Not just the Middle East but didnt Mexico have Showbiz at one time as well? I also remember (again fuzzily) someone saying that the RAE equivlants (Wolf Pack 5 and such) were featured in various traveling shows and I swear one was in Japan and I know one was in the US. Are any of those still going?

LOL I guess its a hard question to ask but I know everyone likes to gather info...it'd be neat to know (especially if I ever got to traveling!) It seems unfair living in Orlando (HOME OF THE RAE) and yet not having seen any real life RAE robots since 1992... LOL!

[the robo rob]

as far as I know, Chicago has them. Which is still a 13 hour drive from Atlanta.

If that freaking stoopid Billy Bob's Pizza Circus still had them. I'd suggest a party.

Think I'm just gonna have to buy a few of those dancing flowers and tape pictures of the RAE on them.

[anastaciacominatcha]

LOL good idea! I thought the Chicago one closed. Mind you this is all from a fuzzy lurker point of memory but to my memory in the past year:
The Chimpy's (Chicago) one finally died and it wasnt in that great of shape to begin with
Looneybird's remained extinct
BillyBob's Wonderland closed one then apparently according to a post not too long ago the other one took out the RAE so though it has Billy Bob on the walls and crap no actual RAE.

So to my memory the last one standing in the US would be the one in CA but Im not sure if its still running or I forgot it closed. I know they were saying it was just as @#%$ as every other US RAE because no one took care of it.


And then I have no clue on the international ones as said...its pretty much what I guessed at above :p .

[looneybird78]

Billy Bobs SUPER Wonderland in West Virginia has a show (even has Looney installed on the WRONG side of Billy Bob)

Rock-afire Pizza in Indio California

Both Odssey Fun World Locations in Chicago have the "NEW" Rock-afire setups.

There is rumor of one at a Fun Center in Washington State but I have yet to have confirmation on that.

None of these business shows will be in good shape. Business show = crappy show. Thats the only way it is.

There are NUMEROUS home shows thou. And Creative still has a wonderful show setup! Home shows are going to be your only good source to see a nice show. There are home shows in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and soon to be Colorado *note those are off the top of my head and I may have missed a state*

~LB78

[bzier]

Being in the Orlando area too, I also am extremely frusterated with not being able to see the RAE. I have NEVER seen the RAE live...and I've even travelled to places that 'supposedly' had them, and just like Veganova, to my disgust, I'd get to the place and the show woud be gone. It just seems wrong living so near to Orlando, and not being able to ever see the RAE.

Aaron...you need to re-open Looney Bird's down here! Or some other type of cool place showcasing many of your animatronic creations!

[anastaciacominatcha]

LOL bzier I say we start a petition :p ! I know Creative was open last year for a tour for like $150 but a...love the RAE but too poor for that. You know I honestly think a good resteraunt with good food and a good MAINTAINED show with good music would do well...especially somewhere like IDrive (reel in the tourists.) But...it'd take a lot of $ to start up so yeah .

[MSOFW]

We operate the only two exhisting N-RAE shows. However even though they are a miniture-ized version, they still feature all of the characters minus rolfe/earl.

Looney Bird has a lab setup which is unique, Beach Bear is on the beach, and Dook has a junk yard setup. They sing MANY of the same exact songs you would find in any classic RAE as well as several songs that were not produced for the classic and are only the mini and NRAE shows.

Also note that the shows are rediculosly hard to maintain in this day and age with the technology they are based off of being almost extinct (ex: apple 2e). We try our best to keep the slows alive and working, but at times it can take several months to get something made/fixed.

Just last week a power supply blew - whole show went down. Of course when we called the manufactorer of the power supply, that power supply (which gives out 7 channels of different voltages) is no longer being made and would take 8-12 weeks to be fixed.

I really enjoy having it working as I grew up with the classic RAE and am busting my butt to keep it alive and kicking. The show's run off 2 VCR decks but the problem there lies in the tapes as they are becoming brittle and break after the 10+ years in use. So we are begining to loose the ability to change the songs pretty fast.

Please understand that the shows that still are in resturaunt operations, people are putting in the extra mile to keep them there for your enjoyment while they really do not attract teh clientel they used to.

I really feel offended by the member on this board who stated "business shows = crappy shows". Obviously they don't understand what it takes to maintain a show that is in use 12 hours a day - not 3 hours here and there in a garage.

For those of you that plan to visit either location, please feel free to drop me an email ahead of time to check the status of the show's operation.

~Mike

[looneybird78]

Sorry to have offended you but here is my background just to clarify!

I fully understand the issues. I have spent the last 4 years dedicated to refurbishing a Complete Classic Rock-afire. Not only that but I speak from experience. I frequented the Looney Birds in Mandeville during there 2 year run and they constantly let the show go to pot. They as a business were not worried about the show, rather how much they could rake in from birthdays etc.

And I have seen your show. Made a special trip all the way from Mississippi to view it. I was sad when I saw its condition.

Awful masks, terrible costumes, non-operational Danceatronics.... the List goes on. Plus we had to wait over half an hour just to get the "tech" to turn it on. So there is no way it is running 12 hours a day! We arrived late in the afternoon and apparently it hadn't even been turned on for the day!

Once again I do understand the logistical nightmare of the shows, that is why I have also dedicated a large amount of time to get my show to run digitally... no more tapes, no more reels.... all random access on a PC. But even still you say your tapes are brittle... Last I checked Creative still had showtapes available. Why not just buy some more? Worried about the price tag I'm sure.

Also cosmetics and masks should never be allowed to get so bad. Beach Bears was so bad when he opend his mouth you could see that the mask was in two pieces that seperated at the jaw.

Things like that are not technical those are things that could also be purchased from Creative Engineering TODAY! So once again businesses are more worried about the buck. They dont want to spend the money to keep them pretty. They spend just enough to keep the mechanical aspect limping along and forget about the rest.

You act as if Creative isn't around any more and doesn't supply customers with there needs. I think the problem is customers just dont want to pay the prices. Because Creative is still in business and producing things for those who need them.

~LB78

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

I think MSOFW brings a valid point to the fore: Maybe if the RAE system was updated to today's current technology, places would be able to not only have a RAE Show, but upkeep it as well?

Now i'm not knocking "old technology". Anyone who knows me will realize that i'm very pro-old school. I'm thinking however that maybe this is one of the several reasons why many potential businesses' pass on installing a RAE Show? The price of course comes into play, but perhaps they are also looking at the old technology factor and assume it is something that will be frought with problems? Maybe they feel that after investing in a Show, it will be problematic due to the "outdated" system that runs it?

Again, i'm not knocking the current RAE system....i'm looking at this as a up and coming business might if they look at the RAE and think about getting one. Maybe the "old tech" is a factor? MSOFW's post has made me consider this idea.


On a totally different note:

Not to depress anyone, but word has reached my ear that Rock-aFire Pizza out in Indio, CA has CLOSED. I am awaiting confirmation of this, but Veganova received a message from a local CA fan who wanted to visit, and when he phoned them for directions no one answered.

Sounds just like Looney Birds demise.....

Anyway, i just wanted to give everyone a heads up. If anyone here can confirm this, please do! I had plans to bring CheeseVention 4 there for the finale dinner this May, and would like to know if they have slammed the place.

[looneybird78]

Two words TIVO SYSTEM

Why fool with the reels and tape decks? This system is available. The technology changed with the times. But once again I still say it is a cost factor... .businesses are not willing to spend the $$$ to get the new expensive control system. Plain and simple.

~LB78