Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center and Parc Astérix: Difference between pages
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'''Parc Astérix''' is a theme [[amusement park]] in [[France]], based on the stories of [[Asterix]] (by [[Albert Uderzo]] and [[René Goscinny]]). Situated approximately 35 km (22 miles) north of [[Paris]] and 32km (20 miles) from [[Disneyland Resort Paris]], in [[Plailly]] in the ''département'' of [[Oise]], it opened in [[1989]]. The park is operated by [[Compagnie des Alpes]]. |
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{{Refimprove|date=February 2007}} |
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[[Image:MountWeatherFEMA.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Mount Weather, with the [[Shenandoah Valley]] in the background]] |
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The '''Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center''' (or simply '''Mount Weather''') is a "civilian" command facility, the center of operations for the [[Federal Emergency Management Agency]] (FEMA). ... It functions as a main relocation site for the highest level civilian and military officials, and what is called, seemingly interchangeably, the '[[Continuity of Government]]' and the 'Continuity of Operations Plan'."<ref name="clui">{{Citation |
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| author-link = http://www.firedepartments.net/Virginia/Bluemont/MountWeatherFireRescue.html |
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| date =Spring 2002 |
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| year =2002 |
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| title = Fire Departments |
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| periodical =The Lay of the land: The Center for Land Use Interpretation Newsletter |
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| publication-place=Culver City, CA |
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| publisher =The Center for Land Use Interpretation |
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| pages =6-7 |
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| url =http://www.clui.org/clui_4_1/lotl/v23/CLUI_LOTL_spring2002.pdf |
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}}</ref> |
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It is especially well known for its large variety of [[roller coaster]]s, and has begun incorporating rides and themes from historic cultures such as the [[ancient Rome|Romans]] and the [[ancient Greeks]]. |
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"For decades . . . [ it has ] served as the main relocation site for the White House, the Supreme Court and much of the executive branch."<ref name="worst"/> |
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Located in the [[Blue Ridge Mountains]],<ref name="clui"/> access to the operations center is via "Route 601, also called Blue Ridge Mountain Road, in Bluemont, VA."<ref name= "cheney's cave">{{Citation |
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| first =Paul |
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| date =[[December 4]], [[2001]] |
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| year =2001 |
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| title =Things That Go Bump In The Night At Cheney's Cave |
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| periodical =White House Weekly |
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}}</ref> |
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The underground facility within Mount Weather designated "Area B" was completed in 1959. FEMA established training facilities on the mountain's surface ("Area A") in 1979.<ref name ="training site bunker">{{Citation |
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| last=McGrath |
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| first=Gareth |
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| title=Training Site Bunker Used After Sept. 11 Terror Attacks |
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| newspaper=Morning Star |
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| publication-place=Wilmington, NC |
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| date=[[January 30]], [[2002]] |
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| year=2002 |
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| month=January |
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| page=1B6B |
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}}</ref> A net control station for the FEMA National Radio System (FNARS), a "[[High Frequency]] radio system connecting most federal public safety agencies and U.S. military with most of the states"<ref> {{cite web|url=http://acs.oes.ca.gov/Pages/acs_opportunities.html |title=Opportunities With OES ACS Program |accessdate=2008-04-02 |work=OES Auxiliary Communications Service Homepage |publisher=Governor's (California, USA) Office of Emergency Services }}</ref> is located here. FNARS provides presidential access to the [[Emergency Alert System]].<ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.cdc.gov/phin/conference/04conference/05-27-04/Session_12D_Ross_Merlin.pdf |title=Communications Systems for Public Health Contingencies |accessdate=2008-04-02 |last=Merlin |first=Ross Z. |date=2004 |format=pdf |publisher=DHS/FEMA Wireless Program Management Team }}</ref> |
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==Competition== |
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The site gained wider public recognition when ''[[The Washington Post]]'' mentioned the government facility while reporting on the December 1, 1974 crash into Mount Weather of [[TWA Flight 514]], a [[Boeing 727]] jetliner.<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/facility/mt_weather.htm Mount Weather / High Point Special Facility (SF) / Western Virginia Office<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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[[Image:ParcAsterix.JPG|thumb|Advertisement for Parc Astérix in a Paris subway station. The ad depicts a car carrying a [[menhir]] on its way to the amusement park.]] |
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The park management initially feared a loss of business to [[Disneyland Resort Paris]] prior to the opening of the latter, but the popularity of both has in fact increased as a result, exhibiting a synergistic effect seen in other places with multiple theme parks (most notably [[central Florida]] and particularly [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], where Disney has its largest presence and numerous other theme parks benefit as a result). When it originally opened it was seldom heard of by most foreigners; today many of its visitors come from around the world. |
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==Directions== |
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[[As of 2006]], FEMA has 673 civilian employees assigned to Mount Weather.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} The [[Department of Homeland Security]] operates a fire department at the site, Mount Weather Fire & Rescue Company 21. Their first due area is Mount Weather itself, but they also respond to areas of both Clarke and Loudoun Counties as Company 21 under mutual aid agreements.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} |
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[[Image:Parc Asterix roller-coaster by http2007.jpg|left|thumb|The Menhir Express, a [[log flume (attraction)|log flume]] ride]] |
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Unlike Disneyland Paris, the park used to open only from April to October, and has generally shorter opening hours. However, it is easily visited in a day. Since 2007, the park is also open in winter. It has its own exit on the [[A1 autoroute (France)|A1]]. |
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The park is accessible from the [[Ile de France]] [[Regions of France|region]] via the [[RER B3]] line to ''Aeroport Charles de Gaulle 1''. Tickets can be purchased for the park at this station. From this point visitors will board a coach which commutes between Parc Astérix and the train station. |
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==Descriptions== |
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==Attractions== |
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The term High Point Special Facility has been used synonymously to mean the emergency operations center at Mount Weather and both Mount Weather and HPSF are 48 air miles from [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] near Berryville.<ref name ="worst">{{Citation |
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[[Image:Parc Asterix Attraction 1 by http2007.jpg|thumb|L’Oxygénarium toboggan (river rafting ride)]] |
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There are many attractions and shows including: |
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| title=Near Washington, Preparing for the Worst |
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| newspaper=The Washington Post |
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| date=[[August 9]], [[2006]] |
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| year=2006 |
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| month=August |
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| page=A16 |
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}}</ref> Between 1985 and 1992, "Special Facility" was the preferred designation to describe FEMA's operations at Mount Weather, especially in unclassified listings.<ref name= "hideaway">{{Citation |
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| last =Gup |
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| first =Ted |
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| date =December, 9, 1991 |
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| year =1991 |
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| title =Doomsday Hideaway |
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| periodical =Time |
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| pages =26-30 |
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}}</ref> Since Area B is the designation for the underground element within Mount Weather, size comparisons can become distorted. The surface of the FEMA complex is at least 434 acres and termed Area A - also labeled distinctly from the underground area. A training area of unspecified size is included on the surface within the 434 acres.<ref name="training site bunker"/> The volume size of the underground component is described as being 600,000 square feet.<ref name="worst"/> |
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* [[Tonnerre de Zeus]], a [[wooden roller coaster]] |
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*Government workers at the Mount Weather facility have been known to scoot around the grounds carrying precious artwork on Segways. In addition, guests of "the mountain" judge their social standing by their ability to change channels using their big toes, known among the privileged as "operation big toe." |
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* [[Goudurix]], a large steel multi-looping coaster |
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[http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=3qHBbd5jNn0] |
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* [[Oxygénarium]], a large, twisting water slide with round dinghies |
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* [[Transdémonium]], a haunted mansion filled with special effects |
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* la [[Trace du Hourra]], a 900m [[bobsled]], with cars that reach 80 km/h |
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* la [[Galère]], a swinging ship |
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* [[Menhir express]], a [[log flume (attraction)|log flume]] ride with a 13m final drop |
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* [[Grand splatch]], a rapid river ride |
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==External links== |
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"On [[September 11, 2001]], most of the [[United States Congress|congressional]] leadership was evacuated to [Mount Weather] . . . by helicopter."<ref name="worst"/> In support of national preparedness, between 1979 and 1981 the [[National Gallery of Art]] developed a program to transport valuable paintings in its collection to Mount Weather via helicopter. The success of Gallery's art relocation would have depended upon adequate attack warning.<ref name= "leonardo">{{Citation |
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* [http://www.parcasterix.fr Parc Astérix official website] (requires [[Macromedia Flash]], in french only. |
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| last =Gup |
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*[http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/download.php%3FNumber%3D794117&om=1&ie=UTF8&z=15&t=k Satellite image of Parc Astérix with ride locations] from [[Google Maps]] |
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| first =Ted |
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* [http://www.tripfilms.com/Travel_Video-v65019-Paris-Parc_Asterix_Goudurix_Roller_Coaster-Video.html / Parc Asterix Video] |
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* [http://www.attractionland.com/en/parc-asterix/ Attractionland: Parc Astérix] |
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* [http://www.fansdupa.org/ FansduPA.org (French): Fan site with pictures, videos, virtual tour of the park ... ] |
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| date =October, 10, 1992 |
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| year =1992 |
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| title =Grab That Leonardo! |
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| periodical =Time |
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| url =http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,976197,00.html |
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| accessdate =2008-04-03 |
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}}</ref> |
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{{coord|49|08|07|N|2|34|18|E|type:landmark|display=title}} |
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== In the media == |
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*Both Mount Weather and The Greenbrier were featured in the [[A&E Network|A&E]] documentary ''Bunkers''. The documentary, which was first broadcast on [[October 23]], [[2001]], features extensive interviews with engineers as well as political and intelligence analysts providing rare insights into these top-secret installations while making a comparison of [[The Greenbrier]] and Mount Weather to [[Saddam Hussein|Saddam Hussein's]] control bunker buried beneath [[Baghdad]], [[Iraq]]. The documentary features interior video of The Greenbrier as well as the Baghdad bunker, which survived direct hits from seven [[Joint Direct Attack Munition]] (JDAM) bombs during the [[2003 invasion of Baghdad|Battle of Baghdad]]. |
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*The authors of the novel ''[[Seven Days in May]]'' "referred to a shadowy facility called Mount Thunder, all but revealing its location", an intended reference to Mount Weather.<ref>{{cite news | first=Tom | last=Vanderbilt | coauthors= article appeared in the Comments and Features section of the printed newspaper on page 12 | title=Is This Bush's Secret Bunker? | date=2006-08-28 | publisher= © Guardian News and Media Limited 2008 | url =http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/aug/28/usa.features11 | work =The Guardian | pages =12 | accessdate = 2008-04-02 | language = }}</ref> |
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*A facility similar to Mount Weather is featured in the beginning of the [[2002 in film|2002 film]] ''[[The Sum of All Fears (film)|The Sum of All Fears]]'', based on the [[Tom Clancy]] [[The Sum of All Fears|novel of the same name]]. The fictional U.S. president is taken to the facility located inside [[Sugarloaf Mountain (Maryland)|Sugarloaf Mountain]] in [[Maryland]] after the movie's opening sequence to rehearse emergency operation plans after a Russian nuclear attack. |
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*Author [[Milton William Cooper]] described the [[authoritarian]], [[secretive]], and [[unconstitutional]] aspects in his 1991 book ''Behold a Pale Horse''. |
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*Author [[William Poundstone]] investigated Mount Weather in his 1989 book ''[[Bigger Secrets]]''. |
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*Mount Weather was mentioned as the emergency facility in the case of a Soviet nuclear attack from Cuba during the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]] in the [[2000 in film|2000 film]] ''[[Thirteen Days (film)|Thirteen Days]]''. |
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*In the final episode of ''[[The X-Files]]'', entitled "[[The Truth (The X-Files)|The Truth]]", ex-[[FBI]] agent [[Fox Mulder]] enters the Mount Weather complex, which is controlled by a [[shadow government]]. |
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[[Category:Amusement parks in France]] |
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== See also == |
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[[Category:Asterix]] |
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*[[Continuity of government]] |
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[[Category:Buildings and structures in Oise]] |
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*[[The Greenbrier]] |
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*[[Site R]] |
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[[da:Parc Astérix]] |
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== Notes == |
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[[de:Parc Astérix]] |
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{{reflist}} |
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[[es:Parc Astérix]] |
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[[fr:Parc Astérix]] |
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== References == |
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[[nl:Parc Astérix]] |
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* A&E Productions "Modern Marvels-Bunkers" http://store.aetv.com/html/product/index.jhtml?id=75147 |
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[[ja:アステリックス・パーク]] |
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* Emerson, Steven, "America's Doomsday Project," US News and World Report, 7 August 1989, pages 26-31. |
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[[pl:Parc Astérix]] |
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* Gup, Ted, "Doomsday Hideaway," Time, 9 December 1991, pages 26-29. |
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[[ru:Парк Астерикс]] |
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* Gup, Ted, "The Doomsday Blueprints," Time, 10 August 1992, pages 32-39. |
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[[sk:Parc Astérix]] |
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[[fi:Parc Astérix]] |
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== External links == |
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[[sv:Parc Astérix]] |
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*[http://web.archive.org/web/20050330084241/http://www.fema.gov/rrr/weather.shtm FEMA page on its Mt. Weather operations as saved by the Internet Archive Wayback Machine on March 30, 2005] |
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*[http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/facility/mt_weather.htm globalsecurity.org page on history and purpose of Mt. Weather] |
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{{coord|39.063|N|77.889|W|region:US-VA_type:landmark|display=title}} |
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[[Category:Military facilities of the United States]] |
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[[Category:Disaster preparedness in the United States]] |
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[[Category:United States Department of Homeland Security]] |
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[[Category:Loudoun County, Virginia]] |
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[[Category:Federal Emergency Management Agency]] |
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[[Category:Subterranea]] |
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[[de:Mount Weather]] |
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Revision as of 03:41, 13 October 2008
Parc Astérix is a theme amusement park in France, based on the stories of Asterix (by Albert Uderzo and René Goscinny). Situated approximately 35 km (22 miles) north of Paris and 32km (20 miles) from Disneyland Resort Paris, in Plailly in the département of Oise, it opened in 1989. The park is operated by Compagnie des Alpes.
It is especially well known for its large variety of roller coasters, and has begun incorporating rides and themes from historic cultures such as the Romans and the ancient Greeks.
Competition
The park management initially feared a loss of business to Disneyland Resort Paris prior to the opening of the latter, but the popularity of both has in fact increased as a result, exhibiting a synergistic effect seen in other places with multiple theme parks (most notably central Florida and particularly Orlando, where Disney has its largest presence and numerous other theme parks benefit as a result). When it originally opened it was seldom heard of by most foreigners; today many of its visitors come from around the world.
Directions
Unlike Disneyland Paris, the park used to open only from April to October, and has generally shorter opening hours. However, it is easily visited in a day. Since 2007, the park is also open in winter. It has its own exit on the A1.
The park is accessible from the Ile de France region via the RER B3 line to Aeroport Charles de Gaulle 1. Tickets can be purchased for the park at this station. From this point visitors will board a coach which commutes between Parc Astérix and the train station.
Attractions
There are many attractions and shows including:
- Tonnerre de Zeus, a wooden roller coaster
- Goudurix, a large steel multi-looping coaster
- Oxygénarium, a large, twisting water slide with round dinghies
- Transdémonium, a haunted mansion filled with special effects
- la Trace du Hourra, a 900m bobsled, with cars that reach 80 km/h
- la Galère, a swinging ship
- Menhir express, a log flume ride with a 13m final drop
- Grand splatch, a rapid river ride