Author | Lightnews

Steve Ziolkowski

@spajadigit.bsky.social

230 followers 370 following 310 posts

I like to make things. I used to make things professionally, now I make things for fun. Theme Parks are really the best.

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Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 3h

Well, we all know you're amazing.

Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 3h

Sounds like getting into gardening, and having zucchini for days.

Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 1d

I had to look it up- Teresa and I love waterfalls and accessible ones like that are awesome!

Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 1d

Wow. That is stunning.

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Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 1d

You are totally right! If Stormrider and Living Seas had a kid, this would be it! Hahahaha

Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 1d

Here's some attraction photos from Park Aventura. If I find any of my photos I'll post em here.

Seafari queue A small sub hanging over a pool of water

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Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 1d

So! Adorable!

Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 2d

"You *will* buy this Tigger! Cause Tiggers are wonderful things!"

Reposted by Steve Ziolkowski

KaaiLeen 🌱 @kaaileen.bsky.social · 2d

november~ 🦊✨🍂🍄 #art

autumn themed illustration of a fox picking mushrooms

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Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 2d

Oh, this is lovely. Those colors!

Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 2d

So blessed.

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Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 2d

In '98 Vegas was still in the theme park game. Star Trek the Experience opened at the Las Vegas Hilton, and Rhythm & Hues was invited to the opening festivities. (I animated most of the show, with the exception of the Crellian Dyzan. (the space cows))

A complimentary ticket to see Star Trek the Experience in Las Vegas in '98

Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 2d

Well, what really sucked is when the park shuttered the ride moved to Barcelona. Park Aventura had it running for a number of years, but when I finally got there in 2018 they had turned it into a terrible dinosaur ride. All the original sets were still there... I was devastated.

Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 2d

Maybe lying around somewhere. I found these as we were cleaning out a closet. The spires were huge (and we had them lying around for months after the shoot. Probably six to ten feet tall, ending at the volcano. The base was also pretty huge, maybe twenty feet long by ten feet wide.

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Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 2d

The interior of the whale sub was a large, themed room with several motion bases in it (like Minions, at Universal) and the ride was about five minutes long. We used practical models for the base and the rock spires, and once you entered the volcano through a lava tube it transitioned to all cg.

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Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 2d

Essentially, you walked into a sea base to go on an underwater tour, but, there was an accident and your tour becomes a rescue. A dolphin named Sammy swims up a lockout chamber (I got to animate this!) to set the scene. You'd then board the sub which was an elaborate set.

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Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 2d

It was paid for by Universal, and the park was small. It actually looked a bit like a mall. There were a couple of other attractions, and a gonzo stunt show depicting a fight between cowboys and vikings. This attraction had a lot of money behind it, and the queue was incredible.

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Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 2d

In 93' While ILM was animating dinosaurs, Rhythm and Hues was working on a motion base ride for a now defunct theme park in Japan. I built a lot of models for Seafari, including the whale sub, but this was also my first animation gig. Lorne Lanning was the art director.

Seafari base illustration of a whale shaped submarine moving through an underwater base

Seafari spires illustration depicting whales swimming through rock structures

Seafari wrecked ship illustration of Sammy, a dolphin, exploring the wreckage of a ship

Seafari climax illustration of a sea monster attacking Sammy

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Reposted by Steve Ziolkowski

Edouard Noisette @ednoisette.bsky.social · 3d

It's that time of the year!
#halloween

An illustration of a creepy manor under the moonlight, lit in an orange glow, with bats flying around

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Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 3d

Oh wow. That is awesome.

Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 3d

At first I thought you were talking about trick or treaters!

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Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 3d

Wow!

Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 3d

So we're cleaning out the picture closet where Teresa and I store all our memories and I found this. Yeah. Year I graduated from high school. The San Diego Comic Con was a lot smaller 36 years ago, but damn, it was cool.

Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 3d

Super cool!

Steve Ziolkowski @spajadigit.bsky.social · 3d

Kawaii!!!