The Official "TPR Japan Trip 2007" Thread

Seriously?! A Cup Noodles machine?!?!?! That's frickin sweet! Now I know that America does, officially suck compaired to Japan

Any park that has pictures of pole vaulters is cool. Good job Muscle Park!!

Ha!

Japan is so awesome. I gots to go to "Muscle Park" and pretend to be a Ninja Warrior .

One of these days...

That looks like a very intressting park. I think it looks cool, but I'm weird like that!

Nice pics!

A bit of Japanese info from my research. Although if you don't have jap characters, the first bit I show will make nothing but a whole bunch of baloney.

When you see Cup Noodles with this kanji on- ラメン. It means Ramen. A type of Cup Noodle. (This may seem usless for people out of japan, but I find it intresting)

Also, that 'Monster Burger' recreates some sort of thing you jump over. Don't have a name yet. But each layer of the monster burger represents a step. Like 1st step, 2nd step and 3rd step

EDITED: For BarryH.

^Please don't use Jap. Somehow, that bothers me. "Japanese" is a lot better.

EDIT: Thanks for the edit!

So, I noticed that when you go through the obstacle course, there is a bomdiggity girl with a side ponytail watching you with an awesome "STAFF" Hoodie. Is she there to cheer you on or give the side commentaries like in Ninja Warrior? Cause I can just imagine her in her cute Japanese(NOT JAP) way telling Joey to hurry up and then giggling embarrassed from seeing Joey's white tummy.

God, I miss Japan. The food, the fun, the LSD-driven weirdness..

OMG! They have a Sasuke area at Joypolis! I dont know if any of you watch "Ninja Warrior", which has been a television phenomenon for the last 12 years in Japan, but I think it's still on G4TechTV, for anyone who's interested. In the history of the show, which is like MXC (Takeshi's Castle) but serious, there has only been 3 male winners and 2 female winners due to difficulty of the challenges. Effiin A! (sorry, Kidtums)..I have to get to Joypolis soon and see how weak and un-ninjal-like I am..

Muscle Park is scary. My trainer would like it, which makes it automatically satanic and unsavory.

If I ever make whopping money from my music/theatre (not that I'm aiming for that..), I want to open a Japanese-styled weirdo-park in the Northeast, just to see the looks of consternation and horror. God..that would be worth the price of admission alone!

^ Wow. You should look back a couple of pages. Like 64 or 63. There's a whole discussion of Ninja Warrior and MXC. Good times!

I want to open a Japanese-styled weirdo-park in the Northeast, just to see the looks of consternation and horror.

Sadly, although that would be awesome to have something like that close to home, it would fail miserably in the states. Another thing added to the "Ideas that would fail miserably in America due to the fact it's way too awesome for the States" list.

Argh! a Sasuke and MXC thread and I missed it! One day, when my belt-driven cable connection becomes a real one, I wont miss things. Anyway, you're absolutely correct. It's a nice pipe dream to have a Japanese weirdo park anywhere in the States, but it would bomb worse than Fred Durst's solo career.

Another thing added to the "Ideas that would fail miserably in America due to the fact it's way too awesome for the States" list.

 

You could also add that several things and/or attractions that we went through and on were toally un-PC to the point of "dangerousness" and totally ripe for US legal lawsuits left and right, that I know more than a few of us on tour immediately questioned, LOL.

And then we went right in there, and rode it! Hah!

ps. BTW Hamu, I kept trying to contact you a few weeks before we left for Japan, but the email address I had for you kept bouncing!

That's probably because I quit my old job. Now I'm in investment banking and don't have time for such jolliness. Let's see, it's 2:55 AM here and this is about as early as I get home on a weeknight. Weekends aren't that much better.

Except this past weekend. My folks are visiting from the States and they wanted to see a nice snow-capped Mt. Fuji. I took them to spend a night at a fancy traditional inn during an exciting Saturday typhoon, but the next morning was cloudless and perfect. So I convinced my parents to go with me to Fujikyu and take a walk around the park while I tried to get in one Eejanaika ride. I lined up at the back entrance at about 12 minutes to the park opening, behind two dozen or so people, sprinted for Eejanaika, and got on the first train. I was done by 9:03 and so instinctively ran for Dodonpa, which was still shooting test trains. I got on the first train of the day, first row. I was done with that by 9:25, collected the parents and we were out of the park well before 10, on our way to other touristy excitements, including a drive up to station 5 of Mt. Fuji.

I would have liked to get in my third climb of Mt. Fuji of the year at that point, but I didn't have 8-12 hours to spare, nor the equipment to tackle the snow. Except for my climbing boots, which are a fixture in the car.

This was all quite pleasurable by the way. Night all.

ok, Im waiting with baited breath for the next update....

So am I!

Seriously though, I apologize for the delay...Robb and I just have so much stuff going on with the site right now, and don't forget that he also has a full time job, and we have KT to take care of.

In fact we just cancelled a Thanksgiving Trip so we can try and get caught up on site stuff.

There should be a big official Florida update today, then a random Photo TR soon, then back to Japan/Korea updates!

Oh, and don't forget Guy's DVD and the new Roller Coasters in the RAW!!!

In fact we just cancelled a Thanksgiving Trip so we can try and get caught up on site stuff.

Ok, now I feel bad

Sorry Elissa I know you have a ton of stuff to take care of, not even considering this message board.

but im always anxious to see pics of DisneySea

^^I know R&E are very busy, so be patient and you will be rewarded!

In the meantime, there are other great PTRs of the Japan trip you can see. You can also see my videos of the Japan trip on the Video board.

Hey everyone!

I do apologize for the delay in the updates. As Elissa said above, we just got caught up in a few things and I had to stop for a bit. Anyway, time to start again!

Today we actually visited THREE parks! We'll cover two of them in this update since it's quite a few photos.

The day started at LaQua for those people who wanted to get a couple more Thunder Dolphin rides and in case someone's flight didn't make it in time for the first visit, they now had the chance to get all the credits in.

All but Linear Gale which didn't open for us this day.

Then in was on to Sea Paradise which I wasn't too sure would still hold up as two of their attractions have closed since the last time we were there. Those of you who remember the boat jumpers from the last time we visited...yeah, they are gone now.

And the park also lost a credit! The weird mouse coaster they used to have is no longer there.

But Surf Coaster still held up. How that ride is not rough is beyond me! It really was a "surprise of the trip" for the second time for us!

And of course Blue Fall...Wow.....

ok onto some photos! (special thanks to Tom, Mark, Lou, Chris, Dan, Shane, Chuck, and Rich for contibuting photos for this update!)

Ok, Sea Paradise...time to go...see you again...and we WILL...next year as a matter of fact!

They have Crazy Barrels. Who remembers these from Six Flags Magic Mountain?

Two things ruin what could be a perfectly cute picture of KidTums...Ryan and his bottle of *ick* Pepsi!!!! At least Japan is mostly Coke!

OMG! I totally forgot...they also have BOOBS!!!!

Ok, fine...you've got Surf Coaster...Blue Sex Fall...and BOOBS! I'm done!

Seriously though...when you have Blue Sex Fall in your park, do you need much more?

"Where does this thing go?"

"It's goes up!"

So yeah....all that's really here now is Surf Coaster and Blue Sex Fall....and some animals.

It actually is one of the better steel coasters in Japan. It's got airtime, it's got good forces in the many helixes....but it's a TOGO!!!!

Like kind of creepy you look down and see NOTHING but water kind of "right on" the water!

It's called "surf" coaster because it really is right on the water....

It *looks* like it should be the ultimate Togo death machine...but it's really REALLY good!!!

So Surf Coaster really confuses me....

Yeah...it really is pretty awesome! You can see the brake fins on the two that have the "fake drop." Yeah.... "fake drop!"

"AAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

Yup, he pretty much just crapped a yakatori skewer!

"Anything to torture the TPR bitches!!!"

He does not look so sure about this...

Chris is pretty much deathly afraid of drop towers...and that makes Elissa happy!

So Blue Fall is pretty much like having sex with a supermodel if you're into Intamin drop rides. It really doesn't get any better, or much taller (unless you like kangaroos) anywhere else in the world.

So next up we went to Sea Paradise...something you can see from a mile away!

This was the first time I ever saw Hershey's in Japan!

It's ok though because Bob made him ride the Spinning Coaster!

I'm not sure why but Richard convinced me to go on Geo Panic again. He must hate me!

They have a parachute drop here! And it's the good stand up kind like Knott's and Boardwalk and Baseball used to have!

For those of you who want to wax nostolgic about rides once found at Knott's and SFOG....

Oh, yeah, and don't forget to put your soul in the locker!

"Stupid Thunder Dolphin! It should have been so good!"

I mean, it's not a "bad" ride, it's just doesn't deliver the intense sheep raping....fist full of yen.... ass kicking.... ride it looks like it should.

But it's just so....so "meh"....

It just looks like it should be one of the best coasters in the freaking world!

So here we are back at Thunder Dolphin....look at it...just LOOK at it...

Great pics and update. Kings Island also used to have the spin and puke barrells. I think you can see it in the episode of the Brady Bunch when stupid Jan lost the bluerprints. Damn her. Did the ride in Japan tilt up?

I agree with you Robb on the icky pepsi in the picture with Kidtums. I think you should institute a no-pepsi rule on future TPR trips. Anyone caught consuming pepsi would be kicked off the trip. Can you imagine how awful a frozen pepsi would taste? Come to think of it, I, personally, can not recall ever seeing frozen pepsi for sale anywhere.

No one seems to be able to exactly pinpoint why Thunder Dolphin isn't on par with Intamin's other hypers. It almost seems like it wasn't a Stengel design, but it was.

Thanks Robb, this one was long awaited! And what is that I hear coming up? Dodonpa! Dodonpa!

Woohoo! A Japanese update! I dunno. Thunder Flipper looks fun anyway. I'd do it in a heartbeat. Blue Fall still looks moderately horrifying, though, and what the stick is up with canning the boat jumpers?? We are so NOT pleased with this. Oh well.

I'm really sorry that you Elissa and KidTums had to cancel your "Indians-save-the-Settlers" trip. If it's any consolation, we are skipping T-Giving for the third year in a row due to our work schedules being diametrically opposed to each other.

Looking forward to more Japan park photo creaminess!

Scott

Yaaay! More updates!

Very nice TR... But the park removed the boat jumpers? Awwww... it was such a unique attraction.

And pity the boat jumper people, I mean, they worked there for so long and they can't event put it on their resume'...

"So, Tamaki, you say you would like to join us here at Yoshi & Yoshi law firm? What kind of skills do you have?"

-"Oh, I can jump on boats and land in the same spot."

I still don't get what makes Blue Fall that much better from other towers. And what is this "fake drop" you mentioned?

Surf coaster looks relaly cool! I was sure it was on land though? Is there a similar looking coaster somewhere built on land?

Why am I the only person who is totally in love with Thunder Dolphin ? Seriously though, I love that ride!

-Dainan "It's my favorite steel coaster" Rafferty

Great update, any themepark with boobs is a good themepark in my eyes. Blue Fall helps, too.

Yay, more Japan updates! I almost forgot that they weren't finished.

Blue Fall looks awesome!

Those Drunken Barrels were insane, when we rode them we tried to spin them as fast as possible, and every Japanese just starred at us laughing, even them on the ride. It was awesome.

The Fake Drop was a nice touch on a drop tower, wonder if there is more towers that have them.

Surf Coaster was awesome, especially in the back.