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Took a trip up to COTA last night, to check out the Peppermint Parkway Christmas Event - which thanks to the Director of Park Operations (Matt Hughey), and the local SW chapter of American Coaster Enthusiasts included free admission and rides on Circuit Breaker. lots of pics below, but will get the burning question out of the way up front. Circuit Breaker is amazing. Very smooth, has multiple inversions- including my favorite element - a short stall at the 1/2 way point on the ride, and wll be 100% worth the trip to Texas to ride. they have two trains running: Red and Yellow, both with onboard audio. Very loud onboard audio, I'll note. I mentioned that to Matt and he said they have brought that up to Vekoma, but apparently it's a program that cycles and they don't really have any control over whether the audio will be BLASTING loud, or not. for what it's worth? I thought the Audio was much better/quieter on the Red train. oh..they also lowered the price. at least during Peppermint Parkway, it's now $15 to get into the event, but once in? only $15 (3 tickets) to ride it. almost every other ride is only 1 ticket. (Circuit Breaker was prior $25 for one ride). Or you could do the Gold Band that is $50 and offers unlimited rides on everything, and includes Circuit Breaker. the only thing not included in the Gold Band are the Go Kart racing, and the upcharge "lap around the track" also even tho it's the weekend before Christmas? it looks like they are expanding the ride options - adding in a new section that has another kiddie coaster (Orient Express), an Octopus, a kiddie motorcycle carousel, and a ferris wheel - tho this section was not quite ready to open. As you'll see tho, they did have the lights on some of the new rides going tho. ok. .on to pictures. .it really is a good event, and we had a great time. more info scattered thruout the pics at the moment, the Entrance to what will be COTALand is via Peppermint Parkway. So it's just to the left of the main Grandstands, and the parking is mainly in lot A behind us is the startingline/main granstands and the Minigolf. to the right is the Karting for adults (and under that white shade back there is the kids Karting) bright and sunny, as they just changed the hours of Peppermint Parkway so it starts at 4 instead of 5:30. . but they haven't really gotten that memo out to folks, so it was actually pretty quiet (and almost ERT like) until about 5:30, which had been the starting time. entrance is not free - it's $15 per ticket to enjoy the carnival grounds, and the lights. then you can either purchase individual tickets for rides/attractions (each ticket is $5) or buy one of multiple wristbands that include different levels of activities (ie: all the 1 ticket rides, the mini-golf, the activities such as paint a dreidel or ornament, cookie decorating, smores, etc. . .) They did a really nice job. . tho I must admit the COTALand area looks much better at night, once the darkness hides the dirt/construction. the exit of the entry tunnel. . again, this will look incredible at night. I absolutely adore that they put up "wacky Santa inflatables". .. immediately put a smile on our faces the only thing actually open during Peppermint Parkway in COTALand "proper" is Circuit Breaker. . so it's off by itself after a bit of a walk on the left. but they actually DO have quite a bit done already. it was impressive to see. the Schwarzkopf Wildcat is not moved and pieced back together, but was not quite ready to go yet. and the S&S Screaming Swing has been topped off, and Matt said they will be back next week to complete work on it. as you might note, there are LOTS of ride pads, and pillars poured. so there will be things everywhere. . . I believe what's going right next to Circuit Breaker is the Starflyer. there will be no dedicated "kiddie area", but instead the kids rides will be scattered thruout the park so there will things for families to do in each area. this is the base of what will be a 250' drop tower! and off in the distance (beyond the final curve of the F1 track - there will be a path that connects the park to that side along the track), is Palindrome, the Gerstlaur infinity coaster. it also is not open yet, but WAS testing during our visit, to the delight of many. hard to see in this pic, but the lift hill/final drop of the log flume is up and done too. but here's what most came for. and as noted above, Circuit Breaker is amazing. Wildcat seen from the Circuit Breaker gift shop exit. these trains are covered in LEDs. . and really do look incredible at night. tho I rode several times in a couple of places (on both trains). . I really do prefer the back row. to be fair tho, the front really does have a ton of airtime. walkways are designed well over here, with tons of spots to get great pics. we pulled Matt over for a pic in the sleigh that's for use by a Santa later in the evening to pose for a pic. this coaster is a great success, in terms of rideability, smoothness, and thrill. walking back over to the main Peppermint Parkway after rides on Circuit Breaker, another pic of just how far out COTALand will extend (tho please note the big area in the center is the F1 track, so mainly along that path connecting the two sides of the park will be nothing but path). Matt did confirm for me there are still plans for the "most thrilling ride that will be in the park" - the multi seated "skycoaster" type ride, that will be rising over on the Palindrome side. but this pic gives a good idea of how many ride pads / supports have been done already, and a better view of the flume and Palindrome. looking back at Circuit Breaker a final time before leaving this section to head over to the main Peppermint Parkway area. tons and tons of lights, and things to do / photo ops over here. they did a Menorah Lighting at 5:45, which I appreciated, as last night was night 7 of Hanukkah. one of my favorite things is that they have the grandstands open (mainly for use of the Concession stands and bathrooms), but you can sit and watch the folks that did the "take a lap on the track".. so very loud and fun to see the cars zoom by at 100+ MPH. some of the stuff they had up was a bit "scary" for kids I thought. . but most of the adults loved it. and they had a screen set up playing movies (we saw the end of Grinch, and most of Elf playing during our visit) the smaller rides that used to be over by the Concert Venue entrance have been moved over to the front of the Grandstands to be included in Peppermint Parkway. Matt told me these are only here temporarily, and I'd say the vast majority of them will end up placed in COTALand - as many of the smaller kiddie rides are COTA branded already in the paintjobs and ride vehicles. but over here is also the Wacky Worm. . and since Jim wouldn't ride Circuit Breaker (it's too big a coaster for him still, so he freaks himself out), he WAS willing to ride the Wacky Worm with me. from the temporary placement, one does get a lovely view of the F1 track starting line from the lift hill. lots of other temporary rides have been set up over here, and tons and tons of lights. and would it be a "carnival atmosphere" without food carts? including the Donut place that is operated by Matt's wife. . yummmmm. . .a giant bucket of fried donuts! (and hot apple cider too). just a sampling of the lights over here. . which would look so much better as it got darker. back here is the new section, which as noted, didn't open last night as it wasn't fully ready. but they are assembling an Octopus there, the Orient Express looked ready to go (and was lit up!), but I guess it's not safe to operate while they are building a ride next to it. of course they have a kissing booth too. (and yes, we did kiss, but not sharing that pic here ) the only "permanent" things over here are the Zipline, the Mini Golf and the two karting tracks (Kids/Adults). but as noted, I would say most of these rides will make it over to COTALand proper eventually. it was time for the tree lighting ceremony, and it got PACKED over here. Princess Peppermint came out and did a little skit to light the tree. it really is pretty cool looking once the tree lighting happened, the crowd spread out, and since the place is so large? it never did feel crowded. tho I would estimate the line of cars to get in, as we were leaving, was at least a mile long. would it BE an event at COTA without some race cars? How about RaceCar driver Santa? (the line for him was at least 40 minutes, so I just waited outside the queue and snapped them between visitors) you could also queue to meet Mrs Claus (she had a much shorter line at about 15 minutes) THIS nightmare fuel: as well as Rudolf, and the "Ice Queen and Snow Princess" (aka: NOT FROZEN, but kinda, but we don't wanna get sued). . LOL the line for those two was easily the longest of the night other than Santa tho. so we kept walking and stopping for pics. we did bump into Princess Peppermint as she was making her way back towards the main entrance for her photo-op spot. she was kind enough to pose for a pic with us. the entrance gate at night. stunning. and the tunnel at night is pretty impressive too but our feet were hurting, so it was time to go. heading back to the car, a few final pics of Circuit Breaker - with the LEDs on the cars .. they start off the color of the train, then switch to Red/White/Blue, as the train runs the course. here's that Stall I love. well worth a visit if you're in the Austin Area this holiday season. . . .

The power of Claus compels you! The power of Clause compels you! Merry Christmas Town 2025! It's time for our annual stroll through Christmas Town at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. There's every thing you'd expect: "millions" of Christmas lights, lots of festive decorations and music, different types of holiday grog and goodies, and, of course, Santa's Workshop. In fact, this event is much the same as last year, only with some minor changes in decorations and two new holiday shows: Christmas Town Live in the Festhaus and the Merry Misfits trio in France. Returning for this season are Scrooge No More, the park's popular version of A Christmas Carol, in England's Globe Theatre; Gloria, a retelling of the Christ story, in Ireland; Wiseman, a singing trio in Italy (I think their stage got an upgrade for this season, though); O'Tannenbaum, a synchronized music-and-light show outside the Festhaus in Germany; the Polar Pathway Spectacle of Lights in the Escape from Pompeii area; Elmo's Christmas Wish in the Sesame Street Forest of Fun; and 'Twas that Night, an ice-skating show in France's Palace Theatre. The park is running a few coasters, weather permitting, during Christmas Town: Pantheon, Verbolten, Invadr, and DarKoaster (not affected by weather, of course). Most of the flat rides are running, along with the Christmas Town Express (round trips only starting at Caribou Station) and the Skyride. Let's take it in, shall we? Bundle up--it's a chilly winter's night. The Giant Snowman bids you welcome to Christmas Town--unless you use VIP parking, which means you won't lay eyes on him. The Tree with the Big Balls is back! Carolers greet you in England with traditional Christmas songs, but don't expect to hear "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" or "Christmas at Ground Zero." In Ireland, you can pray for the immortal souls of those who decided to stop at Grogan's Pub for a pint of Christmas Town Stout. You can see Gloria in the Abbeystone Theatre, too. You can also partake of Santa's Fireside Feast, where you will be under the protection of the Great Stone Fist of the Elves. Oh, you also get cookies from Mrs. Claus. The path between Ireland and France is very peaceful--one of my favorite spots during Christmas Town. This peaceful setting brought to you by Coca Cola. In France, all will make merry, or they will taunt you with hearty laughter. "You are impressed by our enormous Christmas lights, n'est-ce pas?" They're a bit more laid back in Canada. But you do have to watch out for frolicking caribou. In Germany, gingerbread men and gum drops reach unnatural sizes. I found this in one of Oktoberfest's gift shops. Nothing says "German Christmas" more than a Scottish Highland Cow on a t-shirt. Santa's Workshop is in Germany, so suck it North Pole! Why is the very tall wooden soldier trying to choke herself? The Festhaus looks even more festive than usual during Christmas Town. The O'Tannenbaum show is always a crowd pleaser. Christmas Town Live harkens back to the Christmas TV specials of the past. The timing was wrong for me to catch the show that night. The stage is decorated like an old-time TV studio. Peace out on the bridge between Germany and Italy. It looks like the Wiseman show was upgraded a bit from last year's version. This year's version looks a lot like one of those Hallmark movies. This is my single favorite tree at Christmas Town--beautiful in its dignity and simplicity. Meanwhile, across the bridge from that same tree, Christmas is going completely nuts at Holiday Hills (aka Festa Italia). I like the Polar Pathway by Escape from Pompei, too. They have another synchronized music-and-light extravaganza on the Pompei show building. "Hmm--Cookie Monster wish for more bourbon in his hot chocolate." It's getting pretty cold. In fact, it's snowing in Williamsburg as I write this today. Time to head out via Scotland. A Merry Christmas Town to all, and to all, a good night!

pics from yesterday's visit for "Feliz Fiesta" during Holiday in the Park. (and yes, they got TONS of lights from SFA - I asked and was confirmed that the Texas parks got things from several other parks as well that were no longer doing Holiday in the Park) the park is looking amazing, and the shows remain top notch! Majesty of Christmas, and the Dickens shows alone are worth price of admission, tho all the other shows are great as well. because of Texas Department of Transportation sending out a crapload of warnings about how I10 & Loop 1604 (ie: right were the park is) being closed all weekend for construction, we allowed just over 2 hours for the trip to the park from Austin today. so of course, we were so early that even tho the cones were up, they hadn't started any work yet, and traffic flowed - resulting in us being the first ones at the park, and stopped at the entrance gate. so we took advantage to get out of the car, and snap this pic which typically you only can get while driving by. but after about 15 minutes, the parking gates opened and we headed in (with all the other folks that had backed up behind us). of COURSE, this was right when the Six Flags app decided to update, and that made getting thru the toll booths a nightmare - how nice Six Flags stopped handing out physical (hard card) passes JUST before they updated the app and made it a huge mess to access your digital stuff. note: we did chat with mgmt about this during the day as lots of folks had issues, so it came up. they are aware of issues, and are working on solutions, so "please stand by" anyways, the park looks great. the Day ended up being PERFECT (low 70s after a week of temps in the 40s and 50s), and the construction kept many away from the area, resulting in a very crowd comfortable day. lots and lots of photo ops thru the park. as mentioned, I'm guessing some of them came from other parks no longer doing HitP and no trip to SFFT is complete without a stop in to say hi to "miss Connie" in Sangerfest halle. she's a celebrity, and my friends all know I tend to go there first to get a pic. after 1st rides of the day on Chubacabra, those of us attending Feliz Fiesta got to go backstage for a tour of the construction site that I posted yesterday. as part of that tour, we also got to go down into the Gully Washer reservoir (drained during the off season upkeep) for some fantastic shots of Iron Rattler's drops. and then it was time to eat something for lunch (as our dinner wasn't until almost 5). we headed into Blues BBQ, where here at Fiesta Texas, the Turkey Leg with stuffing is still included on the meal plan. and as it's Holiday in the Park? Santa was out all day, so we had to pop in and say hello. naughty bert! (and how fantastic that Santa played along) one of the shows in the main square. . I believe this was the Tinker-Belles and the wooden soldiers one of 3 large trees SFFT has on display. this one is at the end of the main avenue into the park (and the tinkerbelles stage is at the bottom) many, many characters were available today for Meet and Greets. not just the Looney Tunes in Holiday garb, but also multiple DC Heroes, and tons of Holiday themed characters. and the "handlers" are happy to take your phone to snap pics for you. this makes me laugh - this is what happens when they start snapping before you're ready for the picture. . . LOL durrrrrrrr. . . . . but we did get some great pics regardless another throne. .and I do love my thrones more characters. . a bit horrifying, I thought, but happy to take pics after this great meet and greet in DCU, I asked them how about an "action pose". .and that's the 2nd pic. they understood the assignment - particularly Flash walking back to the front for dinner in the picnic grove, caught the end of a Tinkerbelles & soldiers performance, and they were hanging around for pictures. and yet, ANOTHER throne. they must have gotten these from other parks. a night time shot of the tree at the end of the main corridor. here's the MAIN tree in the park, in Rockville, during the Tree Lighting ceremony (that includes fireworks, Looney Tunes characters, dancers, and Santa on the stage in front of it) .. oh, and "snow" Jim and I in front of the main tree, before heading into the Rockville High Theater to see the Dicken's show - one of the parks two signature HitP shows didnt' take any pics of the 1st part of the show, but it's a full on production with sets, dancing, and very good singing. the camera came out during Ghost of Christmas Future, as I love the design of it. ltr: Scrooge, Ghost of Christmas Present, Ghost of Christmas Past, Ghost of Marley, and Ghost of Christmas future. Scrooge seeing the error of his ways before he gets tossed into his own grave by Marley (oh. . "spoilers". . . LOL) after the show (and a few rides) we made our way up to the "big" theater in the park, for the amazing "Majesty of Christmas" - which, yes, includes live animals on stage in a wonderful production. after this show, the park was about to shut down, but attendees of Feliz Fiesta get some ERT on the CrackAxle coasters (Iron Rattler, Roadrunner Express, and Dr. Diabolical's Cliffhanger). . so we took the "Holiday Express" which is what they transform the train into, for a full loop around the park complete with Holiday songs and tons and tons of lights. including new this year, lights representing the 12 days of Christmas. . . that you pass on the train, AS the song is playing synched to what you are passing. so simple, but so effective and impressive. another photo op in front of Hurricane Harbor area and the 3rd and final tree, in Crackaxle, which I was told came from another park that is no longer doing HitP. it's a great event, and well worth going to.

A few days later I was able to take a day to explore Universal Studios Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa. This was one of the two remaining Universal resorts I'd yet to visit (Universal Studios Beijing is all that remains for now) but also my third Resorts World property (Resorts World Las Vegas and Resorts World Genting). Not unlike Resorts World Genting, Resorts World Sentosa is an integrated resort property centered around casinos but offering extensive choices in hotels, shopping, dining and attractions. The main anchors for Resorts World Sentosa are Universal Studios Singapore, the Singapore Oceanarium and the Adventure Cove Waterpark along with a few smaller attractions scattered throughout the property. In the remaining moments of downtime of my trip, I would try to check a few more of those off but with my one full day, I would focus on Universal Studios Singapore. Like the other parks, I knew a decent amount about what to expect. Universal Studios Singapore is a smaller park with a collection of "greatest hits" from the other Universal parks with a few exclusives thrown in the mix. The lands are mostly unique compared to the other parks but the attractions within are mostly found elsewhere. Not long before my visit Minions Land had opened in the plot of land that originally opened with the park as Madagascar. And you could absolutely feel the Minion fever throughout the park. At the heart of Resorts World Sentosa is the casino itself, and many of the methods of arrival to the complex lead directly to the casinos. Obligatory entrance shot. Obligatory globe photo. Just to the left of the park's entrance is a size-able construction plot where the future Super Nintendo World will be located. Work has been underway for some time, but they were working onsite throughout the evenings during each visit I had to this area. From the Universal Studios Singapore entrance plaza you can see the SkyHelix Sentosa in flight. One benefit of Sentosa's integrated resort approach is the inclusion of a resort monorail with stations dotting the entirety of the Sentosa island property. It was neat to see The Count helping with the rope-drop procedures at Universal Studios Singapore. The park's Hollywood section, along with much of the New York area are covered. Halloween merchandise could be found in the park's entrance shops. Minion Mart was one of many Minions-focused merchandise locations in the park. Similar but different. Well this is different. This tangled mess of Vekoma track is Battlestar Galactica: Human vs. Cylon. If there is one thing this version of Revenge of the Mummy has going for it, it is the scale and quality of the theming around it. Minions Land and Far Far Away are on the opposite side of the park. The Lost World is found between Ancient Egypt and Far Far Away and all lands encircle the park's small central lagoon. The Pantages hosts a variety of shows in Universal Studios parks around the globe. I didn't get to see this one during timing, but it was neat to see the theater being used for a totally different show than the Beetlejuice or Horror Make-Up shows I've seen in the other parks. Sesame Street Spaghetti Space Chase was an addition that joined the park's lineup several years after opening. Originally intended to be a Stage 28 walk through experience that was ultimately cancelled, the family-friend ride opened in its place in 2013. Sadly the ride was closed for refurbishment during our visit. Besides Spaghetti Space Chase, the other major attraction in the New York section of the park is Lights, Camera, Action! The land features a few shops plus their own take on Finnegan's, which was serving as a Blumhouse Bar during the Halloween Horror Nights season. I love this. Transformers: The Ride was the first version of the attraction to open. Somehow over the years I managed to ride each version in the reverse chronological order of their debut (excluding Beijing's) starting with Florida's, then Hollywood's and finally the one in Singapore. Battlestar Galactica was running two trains on each side, and while they weren't dueling, they were operating in such a way that you could sometimes see both sides running at roughly the same time. Overall I thought this was an interesting concept for a ride, that would have been more enjoyable if it was operated dueling. The Cylon (suspending) coaster was quite punchy and forceful where the Human (sit-down) side was far more tame and meandering. They were incredibly strict about loose articles in this park so I couldn't bring my camera into the queue, but I appreciated that the queue had a video loop playing that featured characters/actors from both the original Battlestar Galactica series as well as the more modern version that aired on SyFy in the early 2000's. The scale of the Ancient Egypt section of the park is truly impressive. As with Battlestar Galactica, lockers were a hard requirement for Revenge of the Mummy so I couldn't take any photos beyond this point. That said, it is in most ways, a copied and plussed version of Universal Studios Florida's attraction. The queue abandons the "making of a third Mummy movie" plot in favorite of a fully-themed Egyptian tomb, but most of the same beats of the Florida queue, right down to the staircase surrounding the statue leading to the station are nearly identical. The coaster's layout is identical to that of Florida's with minor story tweaks to account for the non-movie-set themed story. That said, the coaster was operating with minimal effects (no fire in any rooms) and the coaster seemed to crawl through its entire layout, including the launches. I'd heard many good things about this version, so I was disappointed to find it was my least favorite of the three, theming-aside. Up next... Not sure what all of these structures are meant to be for... I do love the Jurassic Park III influences in this land. Universal... Keeping Setpoint busy since 1999. Canopy Flyer has a higher capacity than Pteranodon Flyers, so it has that going for it. To its credit, the coaster spans most of The Lost World and even has an unusually forceful helix before its end. Of all of the "similar but different" things I was looking forward to in this park, it was this. Let the record show that while I enjoy water rides, I rarely experience them when I go to parks because I hate getting wet on otherwise dry park days. That said, I wasn't going to pass up a chance to experience the alternate universe Jurassic Park River Adventure. Still kind of a greatest hits of its sister rides, the choice of ride system and the Hydroelectric Plant drop finale make for a unique experience. And I got drenched for riding it. This ride's name amused me far more than it should have. It was a very cute take on a Dumbo-style flat ride though. Rather than having a dedicated meet and greet for Blue like some of the other Universal parks, Universal Studios Singapore brings her out on a roaming truck in Jurassic Park. Several other dinos were a part of the show too. I was very curious to see how a land, centered around Shrek 4-D could turn out... Scaffolding aside, this was pretty neat. Puss in Boots Giant Journey is another one of those strange, unique offerings at Universal Studios Singapore. It's like someone asked Zamperla to build a Volare (spiral lift included) replace the grill-rack flying coaster trains with a strange suspended seated train. The whole thing is slow, nonsensical and unique. A closer look at one of the ride's trains. Donkey Live! in Far Far Away is more like Stitch Encounter or Turtle Talk with Crush than the puppet-style versions you've seen in Florida or Hollywood. Sadly we didn't have time to experience this due to other time commitments before the park's early closing that day. Clever. It isn't just a clever gag from the film. Frier's Good Food is an actual eatery in Far Far Away. And it lives up to its name as having good food. They even had a delicious Gingy sundae! As we crossed the halfway point in our day, we started to realize we were fighting the clock to have time in Minions Land and to do the few more unique attractions that were exclusive to Universal Studios Singapore, so sadly, a showing of Shrek 4-D would not be in the cards. But there was still more to see and do...

Interesting video. Tormenta looks incredible!

Part 3: Europa Park day 2 Continued: with less of a crowd up here, as it wasn't opening time now, I was able to get closer to the Berlin Wall pieces and read the history of the display and snap a couple more pics of Silver Star doing it's thing although I didn't go out the main gate completely, I believe that's the Monorail station there on the left. I absolutely adore this statue. . . Viewed from the front: but if you look at it the other direction? I need to find a small model of this, as I'd love to have it. headed back towards the gardens/restaurant, as we had to meet in about 20 minutes, I stumbled across this behind a "storefront" on the main street. the Mack museum! with all kinds of history of the park, awards they've won, patents, and design concepts for the park. very, very interesting, and I was the only one in there! (as I had been in the mask museum too) as I was about to head out, I heard some commotion from outside. so stepped out and was treated to: the clock going off, and doing a presentation, that I hadn't even realized was an option here back inside for a couple more pics then on my way back over to the restaurant here's the full menu I ended up having the "Baden" set menu, and it was all excellent (tho the service was kind of a mess. (I think we confused them since we all ordered separately) cream of pumpkin soup (so good) pork shoulder and potatoes and apple bread pudding with black forest cherries. after our meal, I took a quick look around the rest of the restaurant, as it really was in theme as a Medieval home after finishing up eating, it was getting pretty late in the day, and we decided to head back to the hotel to change for Traumatica - which happened starting at 7pm since we hadn't yet taken the "big" monrail, we headed up to that station near Germany and hopped on to head back to Colosseo to change clothes for something warmer pretty cool station. map showing where the Monorail went from and to, that gives a good overview of just how large this park is. changed and back into the park, this was outfit for Traumatica the lady in Spain seemed to like it. we had some skip the lines for Wodan from earlier in the day, so we had all decided to meet up at that entrance, but first I decided to climb this lookout tower section that overlooked the splash battle ride really nice views from up here too. . . and even slightly higher than that other monorail we had ridden earlier in the day even tho it had gotten cooler? tonight, the splash battle WAS running, and had takers. great view of Blue Fire from here too and of course, Wodan. and even lots of theming up here - on a lookout that wasn't gonna get many folks bothering to go up to. I love this park. met up and rode Wodan (it was fantastic as always, and yes, my headgear stayed on as it has a chin strap) this is the skip the line entrance for virtual queue and then we headed over to the main Wodan entrance, as we wanted to check out that free haunt they had over here it was mainly just lots of smoke and a few scare actors. . but for a free house? it was ok. it wasn't quite time for Traumatica yet, so we decided to head over to the Arthur area to grab some single rider rides. passing thru Fairy Tale land stopping to use the restroom over here, I just about pissed myself laughing. there was a gnome urinal in these toilets over here. and yes, it actually "peed". . . hysterical. using single rider is the way to go on Arthur, we were on it in moments. and then started heading towards the direction of the Traumatica entrance. we knew it was over near Croatia (by Voltron), so we went over that way. and once it starts to get dark? it comes quickly. this was when we started walking. and this is when we got to Voltron. and the temps started to drop too. I caught part of this "Animatronic" show, it was about Nikola Tesla. to be concluded in part 4: Traumatica !!!

After last year's unexpected trip to Kuala Lumpur, I was once again surprised when I found out I would be working in Singapore. Over the course of my two weeks there, I managed to use my time in between work efforts to see what the city had to offer. A first for me this time when traveling to this side of the world, was flying through Doha, Qatar. My hotel was attached to one of the city's many large shopping complexes. After over 24 hours in transit from Orlando and a quick need to adjust to the current timezone to start work the next day, I ran down to the food court to get a bite before passing out. I was pleasantly surprised to find a Michelin-Starred venue (a counter-service one in a food court, at that). I didn't need much but I wasn't going to pass up the chance to have authentic roast duck and BBQ pork. The next morning I was pleased to find a Toast Box in the same attached mall. I had eaten at the same company's former location during my Shanghai Disneyland honeymoon in 2017, and this curry laksa became a comfort meal throughout my trip. When driving through the Raffles City and Marina Bay Sands area of Singapore I saw lots of F1-related structures as the event was only a few weeks away from taking place during my visit. Marina Bay Sands is the most iconic (and photographed) part of Singapore, and my hosts brought me here early into my trip to enjoy the sights. And yes, I did have a Singapore Sling or two along the way... Merlion Park is another key stop while touring Marina Bay Sands. I had a chance to see Sentosa from high above, getting an early sneak peek at Universal Studios Singapore, which I would visit both as a day guest and later for Halloween Horror Nights... But more on that later! One evening between working sessions, I used my downtime to go to Gardens by the Bay... The complex is absolutely huge and could easily fill a full day. I didn't have that much time, so I prioritized the things that interested me most and that would be open during my brief window of time available. Cloud Forest was first on my list, including the recently-opened Jurassic World: The Experience produced by Neon. The complex is incredibly impressive and the Jurassic World overlay fits really well into the normal year-round elements of the space. As one of two Neon-produced offerings I experienced while in Singapore, I was very impressed with the quality of what I saw here. The waterfall in Cloud Forest is kind of a signature element. The dinosaurs from Jurassic World are carefully integrated into the walk-through environment in ways that feel organic and immersive. The absolute show-stopper of the experience was this large-scale T-Rex animatronic with fully articulated movement in its head, neck and tail. If I wasn't so pressed for time, I could have watched it perform for a half hour or more. There were several other clever animatronic dinosaurs in the experience. The awe of the Jurassic franchise comes to life here and is only amplified by John Williams' and Michael Giacchino's scores playing majestically in the background. If you're a fan of the IP, it's hard not to get swept up by it all and to feel at least a little emotional by how "real" it feels. I'm a huge fan of Dale Chihuly's work and so I was greatly pleased to find a work of his in Cloud Forest. A sneak peak at Supertree Grove from inside of Cloud Forest. While Universal has shown us Jurassic incubators before, it was super cool (and cute) to see animatronic baby dinos warming in their own incubator next to the more traditional egg incubators. Mr. D.N.A.! Some of the year-round elements of Cloud Forest remain unaltered for the Jurassic World exhibition. I've seen dinosaurs like these at Universal before, but they were equally fun to see here. There's an immersive projection space inside of Cloud Forest tucked within the mountain structure. Yes, they did have the iconic park gates represented... No, they weren't the most impressive element of the experience. Being able to see this dino from the ground and from the elevated walking paths was neat. A look down on the T. Rex from above. Cloud Forest is such a unique environment! Didn't think you'd escape Isla Nublar without running into a few of these, did you? Pro lighting setup here. No, I wasn't queuing for Velocicoaster when this photo was taken. The experience's finale is a live showing where guests can see Blue the velociraptor up close. She did the pose! Admission to the Flower Dome is included with your Cloud Forest ticket... It is a large, indoor botanical garden that, if you're into greenery, can be very impressive. In addition to natural wonders, there are some pieces of art made with natural materials embedded in the habitats. There was a Switzerland-themed event going on during my visit... Oh, and they have rides here too. Fun for all ages! Supertree Grove is incredibly impressive in person. For those looking for an observation deck-style experience, Supertree Grove has both the OCBC Skyway (pictured here) as well as The Supertree Observatory (the center tree in the previous photo). Each of them has their own admission ticket required, so I chose the more unique of the two. The view is fantastic! I felt like I was in the Eloi village from The Time Machine (2002). On the grounds nearby is the United Buddy Bears exhibition with 145 unique, artistic bears representing different countries and territories around the world. After the sun sets, Supertree Grove takes on a different life with a bioluminescent glow. Otherworldly and beautiful. A special version of the twice-nightly light show was running during my visit, featuring "Worlds of Fantasy" music from Disney, Universal and Warner Brothers including Super Mario Bros, Harry Potter, The Little Mermaid and Star Wars. I might've had an out-of-body experience when the show started dancing to Star Wars' "Duel of the Fates." The Singapore Flyer can be seen from many vantage points throughout the city. This is one attraction I didn't get to experience firsthand during my trip. Gardens by the Bay is a short walk from the Marina Bay Sands mall and casino, so I stopped in to visit the famous mall. I was pleased to find multiple TeamLab experiences on the grounds. This very unique, three story fountain drains water in a pool found in the open air above this portion of the mall, draining into the mall's indoor lagoon. It is equally mesmerizing to watch from outside. One of the most unique Apple Store locations I've ever been to. And there's a downstairs floor that connects directly with the indoor mall! And there's a Bellagio/World of Color-style fountain show outside of the mall that I managed to see end right as I got to the railing... So this is the best and only photo I took to prove its existence. My time exploring Marina Bay Sands was a highlight of the trip. While there was a lot more work to do, I felt recharged after my time here. But there was still more adventure ahead...

Day 9: Holiday Park (now, Plopsaland Deutschland) this one ended up being a long, but fantastic day. we got up in the morning at Europa Park and after breakfast met in the lobby to check out and hop on the bus. before leaving tho, I made sure to get some daytime pics of Hotel Colosseo. . our amazing resort hotel. after loading up the bus, and after a drive, we ended up in Haßloch Germany, home to what was called "Holiday Park" but has now been renamed as of mid 2025 "Plopsaland Deutschland" so this was my last visit to "Holiday Park" ever. . it's a medium sized park, with some nice thrills, a lot of wasted space/closed attractions, and a killer top coaster in Expedition GeForce. we were also there during the Halloween event, called "Halloween Fright Nights". . tho not certain if they are still doing that now that it's a Plopsa park. there were certainly signs it was transitioning more towards a "tweens" park tho. . . as you'll see below in comments. Front gates Front Gates with TPR, pic courtesy of Robb. loved the light fixture additions. they were cutsey, but fit this front area of the park. I believe this is/was the park's mascot. . tho never saw him really anywhere other than near the front and by one ride at the back of the park. this was the main reason for our stop tho. . the excellent Expedition GeForce - this amazing Intamin Mega coaster, with tons of airtime pops, and that fantastic curving first drop. TPR on GeForce. Hawk seems to imply it was a bit chilly this day. Happy TPR train on Expedition GeForce the Starflyer, which ran a so-so program in an area that was almost completely shut down/abandoned. it LOOKED like they were getting ready to do some construction over here tho, so hopefully Plopsa has put some $$ into adding a bunch of stuff. the other "big" ride at this park: Skyscream (a Premier Skyrocket). i pass on riding, as I've been on several (including this one) before. the queue is really well done tho, and they leaned into the Halloween Season for this area, as the queue already was in the realm of "spooky" I rode this, tho I wasn't as good as getting the planes to flip as others on the TPR trip were. but, yup, it's "Plane on Stick!" the only other place I saw this mascot in the park. This was back over by the Starflyer. . not opening until this year (so yeah, they've been working on it for a while), but per RCDB, it's a Gerstlauer Family coaster with a booster lift, a chain lift, and a roll back. the flume that's over by the "animated" section that was a big "tweens" area already in the park. it has a nice double dip drop. . tho doesn't get one super wet TPR on the flume! and they DIDN'T make us all cram into one log. this was my face upon discovering that my *favorite* ride in the park, is no longer there. oh, Expedition GeForce is my favorite coaster, but my favorite ride in Holiday Park was the Castle Frankenstein dark ride. It was kinda / sorta Haunted Mansion, but done just different enough it wasn't a direct rip off. even tho the ride system is the same. last time I was here? I rode this, easily, a dozen times. this time ? closed down. and why? they are turning it into a Smurfs ride !! SMURFS !!!! bahhhhhh! oh well, I'd drown my sorrow in food, as our day included a meal voucher (along with skip the line passes). not sure what the heck this was, but suitably freaky for the time of year. lunch was pretty good tho. . I had the Schnitzel and a ride on the Carousel will always cheer me up. since I had last been here, a new section of the park had opened up near the front. so we went to check it out. and yeah, it seemed targeting children as well.. so signs were there that the park was gonna get a name change. the scenery looked pretty tho and the rides were all "tween type" rides. mini drop tower, dumbo type ride, and a galloping horse type ride tho instead of horses, one would ride Grasshoppers. I thought it was adorable, but didn't want to try riding in case there was a weight limit. the indoor section is still there, and looks pretty much the same - with the same family rides, including the classic wood carved roundabout, the kiddie roller coaster, and the fairy flight ride. even Jon was willing to pose for a pic on the St. Bernard that's a WHOLE LOTTA SAUSAGE for a teeny tiny bun! tho we had planned to leave after a few hours, the park offered us admittance to the Haunts if we wanted. so a vote was taken, and tho we had been planning to get to Phantasialand earlier in the day, overwhelmingly we all voted to stay at Holiday Park for a few more hours. which meant we got to hang out and drink coffee, and enjoy the Parade. oh look.. there IS the Mascot! so I was incorrect. tho Andrew doesn't look too impressed hmm. this parade has a lot of little kids in it (tried my best to take pics around them), but it's pretty spooky. maybe this is gonna be really fun? Spoiler - it was! I've always found the scariest thing about the Grimm Reaper to be his Nike's really cool parade. . and as the sun started to set, the park was getting ready for the monsters to come out, and to open up the houses. this was the entrance to the first house we'd be going thru: Freak Circus but much like Six Flags has "the Arrival". . .Holiday Park has a show, that brings out all the haunt actors for the houses. TPR anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Monsters Sponsored by a local radio station. . . the "show" was about what you'd expect, but I loved that they leave the stage and weave thru the audience as they head towards their houses they have arrived and Bob looks amused. she was great! and ended up in the "Disco Ball Room" of the first haunt. so many flashing lights. in the Freak Circus house, they send you thru in small groups. (actually all the houses did that - groups of 6-8), and in one room the "ringmaster" yells to all get together and smile for a picture that they take, and then hand to you upon exiting. for all the posing and direction the ringmaster gives you, the pictures are hysterically awful - blurry/out of focus - and they got worse as the groups went. she even missed half the group. hysterical! snapping a pic of the drop tower that is a park icon as we passed by it. (it's more of a "floating drop" than a sharp drop. . but it's ok, and it looks great) yes. they have a "Titty Twister" house. and yes! staffed by Vampires, including a door guy who says absolutely FILTHY things to people as they wait to go thru (a'la Cheech Marin in the movie" what I found absolutely the most hysterical thing about this? most of the scare actors - and the park guide who was walking us thru - had NO IDEA this was based on a movie! they were just working off scripts and getting into character that way. HAHAHAHAHA and don't even ask about "Ms Mona". . . poor Jon. no pics allowed inside the houses, but it's an experience we'll never forget (and I bet Jon won't either). this is also brilliant - right next to Titty Twister. This is an actual park restaurant. They closed it down for the Halloween Season, and turned it into a cannibal restaurant house. so you really ARE walking thru a restaurant. lots of random scare actors hanging about outside the main houses. . but that was really the only areas. if you weren't nearby a house, you were "safe" the fourth "house" is an outdoor maze, that seemed to be themed to Rats mutated by toxic sludge, and out front in the queue were protestors arguing for rat's rights. funny. (not really "scary" tho) a peek into the animated Norse land I mentioned earlier that has been the central area in the park (and is also at Plopsa). . with a Disc-o, a splash battle, the flume and a couple of other family rides. of course, it was never a trip to Holiday Park if you didn't stop into the "pipi station" bathroom next to Expedition GeForce. I really hope they kept this! as we finished up with the last TPR group thru the outdoor house, we headed towards the front of the park. as we passed between two "houses". . there was a scare zone here. so some scare actors to interact with. and crossing across the main square by the front entrance, they had turned off the fountains, and had a DJ on stage getting a dance party going. a final shot as we headed to the parking lot to get on the bus. and a pic from either Robb or Andy (since my camera lightened up the above, and theirs captures the beautiful sky) and then back on the bus and continuing on to Phantasialand. . where we were staying at the Hotel Charles Lindbergh on property. I don't think I took any pics of the room this time, as I have stayed in this hotel on prior trips. But snagged some areas I probably didn't get before. like the steampunk registration desk: and the park entrance to the hotel (yup, that's F.L.Y. track on the right. it goes thru the hotel). a sunset shot from the rooftop of the hotel, with F.L.Y. track underneath. could be mine, but I suspect I have to thank Andy for this. time for dinner (included with our hotel stay), the place looks really great at night. hungry TPR ready to chow down. and the food here is so dang good! best part of staying in this hotel? the ride may shut down with the park, but the area (Rooksville) stays open for hotel guests to wander around in if they so please. so able to get some wonderful pics. and then it was off to bed. tomorrow was the 1st of two full days at Phantasialand to end the trip

I'm surprised you didn't mention that the Scrambler, The Flash/Musik Express, Enterprise, Zforce, Flashback, Mountain Express, Galaxy, Jolly Monster, Metro, Skyway, Circus Wheel, Crazy Barrels, El Bumpo, Dragon, the Ski Show/Magic Lake, and Magic Pagoda are all gone now, too. I hope somebody told you that Magic Flyer, Tweety's Escpae, and Speedy Gonzalez Hot Rod are also leaving, too.

Thank you for demonstrating that having an actual discussion with you is impossible.

Day 3 concluded: Tiananmen Square back on the bus, and a short time later, we were back near where we had been the day before, closeby the Forbidden City. this structure is just outside of Tiananmen Square, and is the Zhengyangmen Gate Tower marking the south end of Tiananmen Square (so we were going around the outside to be let off the bus to walk to the security). Security at Tiananmen Square is incredibly strict - not only do you need a ticket to set foot into the square (which must be applied for way in advance, but we had an excellent tour guide who was able to swing getting tickets for those who wanted to go this evening), but there is a serious bag check, security pat down, metal detectors, and passport screen before you are even let into the square. in the below pic, Tiananmen Square is on the right. . the security check point is across the street on the left random buildings across from the square, as we headed towards security. the is the Mausoleum of Chairman Mao (taken from the security line to get into the square), that sits at the South side of Tiananmen Square inside this Mausoleum is Mao in the Crystal Coffin that preserves his body. tho tourists are welcome, tickets must be gotten in advance (and we didn't have tickets for that), and it was already late in the day so they had stopped letting folks in. it was still incredible to see even just the building in person. another pic of the Mausoleum from the Security line across the street. as noted, they are VERY serious about Security here. camera was put away all thru the security process. . not even gonna chance it. but here are pics from actually Inside Tiananmen Square. the monument in the center is: "the Monument to People's Heroes" and behind that, across the square is: National Museum of China behind me across the street (beyond security) is the Great Hall of the People. . another pic of the museum. . mainly to capture all the cameras that are on the light poles here. a look towards the most famous part of the Square: the Tiananmen gate on the North side of the square, that enters into the Forbidden City. the big basket of flowers is from the "Celebration of the 75th anniversay of People' Republic of China" in 2024 heading towards Mao's Mausoleum. . .this is one of the giant sculptures out front and in particular over here in front of the Mausoleum was heavy police presence the other giant sculpture out front, on the opposite side of the entrance to the Mausoleum the Monument to People's Heroes a selfie to capture the amount of cameras on site a closeup of the flower sculpture. . now celebrating 76 years (they changed the date to 2025) about as close as you really can get to the Tiananmen Gate while in the square. That photo of Mao is huge, but it looks small when viewing from where you can stand. looking out at one of Beijing's unique buildings in the smog, from Tiananmen Square. \ we were going to stay for the flag ceremony at the end of the night, but it was still an hour plus away, and my feet were kinda hurting, as were Stacy's. It was getting a little chilly too, and there really wasn't anything much to do other than sit in the crowd (getting larger by the moment) until the time for the ceremony. so we decided to bail. Probably shouldn't have, as it was a once in a lifetime, but ya gotta do what your body is saying to do - and mine was saying "go sit, and get a meal, you've done a LOT of walking today" luckily, Andy planned to stay, and not only shared photos he took of the ceremony, but also the video I'm sharing below. it's quite impressive and I'm super glad he shared it with the group, so I can share here! KBKD2717.MP4 once you're in the square via the security? there's really no exit other than at the corner that will bring you to the other buildings or the subway station. so we followed the crowd down into the underground (with SO MUCH police presence), but instead of going left to the Tiananmen Gate. . . or right to the Palace Museum. . . we headed straight ahead and out thru exit security to the Tiananmen station for the subway even once thru the "exit".. we still saw quite a bit of security around heading to the trains but, ahhhhh. . . sitting. (no issue finding a seat as people were coming TO the square, not leaving, so we got to sit for the ~1 hour ride back to the Universal Hotel) the Universal stop lets you out near CityWalk. . and as we were checking out of the Hotel in the morning, it was our last chance to sample things here at Universal Studios Beijing. at prices WAY below what they would be at a USA Universal park. so we headed to Toothsomes' Chocolate Factory for a late dinner, before going back to the room to pack. sounded kinda gross, but kinda good. . .but the urge for alcohol disappeared when we saw the offerings of milkshakes. and roaming characters coming from table to table. Stacy got a Chocolate and Strawberry shake. I went a little rogue and went for one that was pistachio and cheese. yeah. . it was very strange, but oddly satisfying. She got a burger, but I tried Chocolate braised pork. it was a bit too sweet for me, so didn't finish, but I did like it and glad I tried it. the offerings of shakes. . . and then it was up to the room (after paying way less than I expected it to be) to pack and be ready for tomorrow. was gonna be a tiring day, as after checkout, we were headed to the Great Wall (another bucket list item), and then we had a flight to another city. but after packing and before heading to bed, Andy sent the below pic, and i found it to be a perfect ending to what had been another great day on a TPR trip.

Day 2 concluded: a trip to the Olympic Green Stacy has a great sense of direction, so i wasn't worried about getting lost. and we ended up with a small group that she led on the subway to the Olympic Green it's a very large park area, that's home to several well known sites from the Beijing Olympics: the Birds Nest (Beijing National Stadium), the Water Cube (Beijing National Aquatics Stadium), the Fan (Beijing National Indoor Stadium) , the Speed Skating Oval, the Fields, and the Promenade - home to the Olympic Tower and the Beijing Olympic TV tower. I liked that you could watch the operator of the train at the front of the car, if you chose to do so. stepping out of the Metro station onto the Promenade one of the multiple Olympic Mascots for the 2008 & 2022 Beijing Olympics. the tower in the back is the Olympic Tower (which you can go up to the observation levels) and the closer one is the Ling Long Pagoda (Olympic TV tower) that was used for Broadcasting here's the "Birds Nest". . .it just looks incredible at night and the "Water Cube" - also amazing. . tho now home to car/truck ads on the outside. thanks to Andy for these wonderful pics of the group of us that went to the Olympic Green this night. LOL. . we were trying to do "rings" and now attempting the Olympic Rings. hey. . it was an attempt! loved this sculpture in front of the Water Cube some Winter Olympics Mascot the base of the Ling Long Pagoda is home to a giant "Friendship Store".. . we didn't go in, but seemed to offer a lot of Russian themed things looking at the Bird's Nest from the Field next door (where the outdoor events were held) the Olympic Torch from across the field Anth and I sitting, while others with more energy walked to the Olympic Torch. (I was saving my steps for the Olympic Tower) here's "the Fan" . . where all the gymnastics were held not sure what this one is. . but it was all lit up, so must have been used for something (perhaps the Tennis Center?) walking the Promenade down to the Olympic Tower wasn't too expensive to go up. . and we walked all the way here, no way was I NOT going up. some of the floors have glass panels up here. . . oh my! gahhh!!!! incredible views up here. that blue blur is the speed skating stadium. . the lights on it are amazing. oh wait, that building next to it is the Tennis Stadium a bit overcast / pollution. . but great views of Beijing at night from here Birds Nest and fields on the left straight ahead, Water Cube and the Fan on the right, with convention center next to it. time to say goodbye and head back. . it had been a very long day, lots of steps. and the metro would take us about an hour to get back. it was a little busy, but once we got to the Universal Line? it was a TPR Train Takeover! the metro station at Universal was pretty neon. some folks rushed to get a last drink before everything shut down for the night, but Stacy and I were exhausted. . so one quick stop to ride the "Snail" sculpture in front of Dogfish at City Walk (thanks Sara for the pic!), and then it was back to the hotel for me. signing off with a great pic of Birds Nest from Andy that he shared with the group. he's such a great photographer! back in the room, a shower, and then collapsed into bed and out immediately. tomorrow was another packed day: Most of it would be spent at Happy Valley Beijing, but then some of us were gonna head to Tiananmen Square as our guide had managed to get us tickets to go tomorrow. but for now? sleep! hope you've enjoyed following along. SO MUCH MORE to come in future weeks.

Part 4: Europa Park day 2 concluded: Traumatica so Traumatica is a separately ticketed event that is attached to the park, and in 2024 included parts of the park that allowed two coasters to operate (Pegasus and Matterhorn blitz) as well as the Kassandra's Kurse madhouse, that ran with a graphic horror overlay via VR goggles. There was also a brand new VR ride in a tent that had lots of effects, love music and performances, a large bar area with food stands, and the marquee attractions are the 6 Haunts that are long, and detailed and the good ones are REALLY REALLY good. oh. .and there's an added attraction where you can ask for a glow necklace, and that gives the scare actors permission for physical contact. Yeah. it blew USA haunts out of the water. no pictures allowed in the houses, but I can say that my favorite was probably the Circus themed one where it climaxed in a giant big top with 8 entrances/exits that looked exactly the same but only one of them led out. the rest of them either looped back into the center of the tent, or dead ended. Meanwhile the ringmaster clown stood on a pedestal in the center, twirling around and yelling at you in German. seriously, some folks were stuck in that house for a good 15-20 minutes trying to find their way out. others had some great ideas - like the zombie attack one, where you were sent thru in groups of 4-6 with laser guns, and you had to shoot them so they don't attack you in the giant murder dome. or an elevator that transports you thru the 13 levels of an office building that has descended to hell. they were all decent, and honestly the only one I didn't care much for was "the Hill". . which was a very long, outdoors in the woods, scare maze with spirits , ghosts, and spooks. it didn't' do much for me, but that could have been because it was all outside with a lot of uneven walking surfaces in the dark. still. . .excellent event. here are lots of pics from it to end our stay at Europa Park! the whole site has a spooky and creepy atmosphere. and the haunts are most all really impressive looking. Tarot House was another favorite of mine (one the left) as was the theming in Cinema Macabre (off shot on the right, tho the queue line is there) ' this is Wakala. . he's kinda the mascot of Traumatica, and I ended up buying quite a bit of merch with him on it. the main stage, that hosted sideshow acts, as well as band performances thruout the event. random ghouls all thruout the crowd, providing jumpscares, even if not in the houses. Wakala wandering Cinema Macabre obscured by smoke, as seen from the Tarot House queue Silver Star behind the trees. . to give you an idea where we are in relation to the park notice a glow necklace or two in the queue line. . means they are ok with being touched. one of the Traumatica Event managers. . she was very very cool, and I enjoyed chatting with her and telling her how much I was enjoying the event walking around with an active torch light.. that was shooting sparks everywhere. no way in USA. . but VERY cool here. Hans has made it to the Bar area even tho outdoors? very well done. more TPR folks joined Hans! Andrew goes "Rarrrrrrrgh" Jon making the long walk into up the queue (we had quick queue thank goodness, on the left is the stand by line) for the outdoor haunt int he woods. this one is so far up and out, you get a great view of Blue Fire from the Haunt. that polka dot tent beneath us is that big top with the multiple ins/outs, as you can see from the fabric-ed off paths to confuse everyone. TPR found Wakala! Grim's Funhouse was another really well done house. . with some great props inside. not part of the event (at least not in 2024), but a great view of Voltron. .and one would go this way for the VR ride, and to access the rides that were available in the park Jon enjoying spiraled potato at the Traumatica food court/bar area lots of photo ops around here too. it really is a fantastic event, and highly recommended the temps were really starting to drop.. . so the crowds were starting to thin. myself? I headed to the merch tent and ended up spending way too much money, but I did get a Traumatica jean jacket that I wore the whole rest of the trip, and still wear pretty often. so it was a great buy but then it was time to monorail back to the hotel and pack up. we were headed out tomorrow morning to continue the Oktoberfest trip. eventual final destination? Phantasialand.

Part 2: Europa Park day 2 Continued: a peek inside the Roller Coaster restaurant (it opened later in the day and was booked solid. not a great loss, as I find the RCR food to be a bit "meh". . but it very cool to experience if you've never done one before). Then we continued on up to the loading platform for the other monorail. this one goes over an entirely different area of the park than any of the other "elevated" rides, and so gives different views. the carousel here (which I love). . and in the foreground are the racecars, that ride on a track similar to the old taxis in the other section. I say again, a slow moving, silly/stupid ride is what I love to do. Coasters and Carousels too, but I just love these type of things paddle boats, and a balloon ride. this is such a big park. a view from across the way of where we came from - that's the Roller Coaster restaurant under the blue top hat (which is the monorail station) the slow moving "Princess" boat ride. another of my favorites here. and those docks across the way in the back? that's where the larger splashboats come from that share this lagoon and you can spray the princess boats with handle powered spinning. (the splashboats were not operating today, probably because it was a little chilly, or perhaps being refurbed) That's not Amity down there, but there is a big hanging shark photo op and over here are the river rapids, that we'll pass over twice on this monorail yeah. . you'll get wet. you also pass right over Atlantica Supersplash the river rapids load station and Wodan. and if you're lucky with the timing, even get a train zooming by the park also has a swinging ship and lots of other rides tucked away in nooks and crannies. better view of the shark photo op that pirate is on the top of one of the park's TWO SeaStorm rides (one indoors in Spain, and this one outdoors) more characters just out and about. . TPR in a fairy tale village yurt because of course, I wanted to ride the princess boat ride next. first there is a photo op that both I (and Christopher) wanted the storyline on this had changed a little since my last visit. . oh, it still had a Princess marrying storyline, but they had shoehorned in troll type characters (I guess to make it fit in better with the fairytale village section on the other side of the lake). but the ride is basically the same, so I enjoyed. and there are still ducks in the lake that swim along side the princess boats we got divided among a couple of boats tho, as we were too heavy to all go in one. the monorail we had just ridden passes over us. lots of fountains and "squirting" things on this ride too and of COURSE it has an "indoor" section she has found her prince wheee! dogs are welcome in this park, and there were some really nice doggos here today. we were getting hungry, and looking at the park info, it appeared there was a park restaurant off to the left of the main entrance - I hadn't even realized there was anything over there. so we headed back towards the front gates, and passed by a popular show going on "Scary Movie Hits" with characters from horror films singing. apparently "Cruella DeVille" is a horror film icon? wow. . . it's just lovely over here!! a giant gardens area with fountains, walking paths. . and an old villa that housed the restaurant the menu looked really good, so we decided we'd check it out. I couldn't believe I had no idea this was even over here! we went in and asked and they had no seating available, but told us if we came back in an hour, we could make a reservation. so of those I was hanging with had wanted to shop, and we were right near the front gate shops, so we went ahead and made a reservation and then all split off, to meet back up in an hour. i had done all my shopping already, so I decided to explore the area over here. lots of cool art and installations over in these gardens a passerby offered to take this pic. I think it came out lovely. lots of pumpkins over here in these gardens too. these tree sculptures are QUITE judgemental! after wandering the area for 20 or so minutes, I decided to check out what else was near the main entrance. and I stumbled across this interesting Museum tucked away in a corner. there were some folks having a meeting inside, but when they saw me looking thru the window, they welcomed me in to look around and told me all about the masks and the traditions behind them. turns out this is actually listed as an "attraction" but it does appear that not many really realize it's there, as the folks in the meeting were VERY excited that I expressed interest. apparently it's not always open, and some of the masks on display are quite valuable. https://www.europapark.de/en/theme-park/attractions/carnival-barn The world of fools Carnival fans young and old can marvel at the precious and extensive collection of Carnival masks in the Carnival Barn. Over 150 Swabian-Alemanic masks have found a unique home in the rustic barn in the German themed area, heralding in the so called fifth time of the year. As well as the wide collection of Swabian-Alemanic masks, you will also find particularly unusual and rare samples from the south-west German Carnival clubs, like the yellow-blue Jokili of the ‘Krakeelia’ Waldkirch or the Balthasar Witch from Rust. Each area of the exhibition is organised by region, with pieces identifiable by a small sign containing names and origins. I ended up going into at least one gift shop, to check out the designs on the ceiling, but then headed back down the main street. to be continued in part 3. . .

I love when parks fly the flag when topping tracks. Beautiful. It really towers over the rest of the park from those angles.

I will likely never visit (for a multitude of reasons), or at least not for a very long time, but I cannot help but geek out over Falcon's Flight from a technical standpoint. I remember seeing the original announcement and thinking it would never get built. The fact that it actually exists and is operating is absolutely wild. It seems like a sandbox fantasy NoLimits or Planet Coaster creation. Also slightly less talked about, but Iron Rattler also looks amazing. Is this Vekoma's biggest coaster?

Based on you calling it "Swiss Twist" I have to guess that your last trip there was pre-1993, when the ride was renamed. You know that Log Jammer has been gone for almost 15 years now (removed in 2011), and they still have another log flume, right? Spinout and and Sierra (nee Swiss) Twist have been gone since 2008. I agree that Rotors and Bayern Kurves are fun rides, but all things wear out eventually. The Spillikin Corner area of the park is still there, it's just called something else. Like did you seriously not expect the park to change in literally over 30 years? Yeah, legacy SF parks aren't the best, but these are all something to complain about, especially this long after the fact.

My general advice is to buy fast lane plus no matter when you go, busiest six flags park period, never been there where I didn"t absolutely need it. I have found that both thursday and friday from open until about 2 P.M. are the slowest, even with FLP it:s nuts, after 3 P.M., fuhgeddaboudit. All of our (U.S ) holidays are always slammed there. I have tried spring, U.S. holidays, summer, fall, Canadian holidays and every weekday, ect. I am not local, but live just across the border in NY and go frequently. I go to Cedar point more often and this place is just busier always, just no relief of crowds ever. All of that being said, great park in a great city. FLP here is very much like Kings Island as the FLP lines are generally short , less Alpen fury (average of 45 minute FLP wait), everything else is 5 to15 minute wait. My best park attack is to get your FLP first thing as the line just for the FLP can be 30 minutes and you can only purchase from 3 locations in the park (Main entrance, by Leviathan and a little kiosk back near Yukon Striker) the latter 2 do not open at gate drop, only after FLP can be used. Hit up Alpen Futy as the lines will never get shorter, ever. Then go either to Yukon Striker and behemoth (there are way more rides back there), or go marathon Leviathan. If you want to ride the non FLP rides, hit them up first, as gaurdians and thunder run, ect., the lines just get insane. This park is really awesome and I hope you have a great trip. If you have time , the city in itself is awesome, so much to enjoy.

Since when has FoF had a "pre-show"? Do you mean the TVs in the queue?

great pics!

I know! the fact they dropped the price, and still no one really knows about it. it's SO smooth too. I liked it better than the Vekoma tilt I rode in China! I honestly think tho, that they are waiting to at least get Wildcat back up and running (it was assembled but not yet testing in the new location) before they really start a media blitz. Palindrome is testing, but there's simply no way to get to it from the Circuit Breaker side (yet). . so even if they did open it, I doubt we'd get an announcement. but once they get Wildcat running again, and that S&S swing? there's enough there to really start advertising a reason to come to the track.

It's so weird to me that we finally are starting to get some awesome Vekoma Tilt Coasters and no one is talking about this one. I had no idea it even was open! I really hope word gets out and they do well.

Wow! I had no idea they were doing this event. The park already seems to be a hit with the locals! Can't wait to see it grow over the next few years.

Disneyland Paris has released a number of new updates focused on the changes big and small coming to the parks, resorts and beyond! https://news.disneylandparis.com/en/exciting-new-details-on-projects-coming-to-life-in-2026-at-disneyland-paris-to-elevate-the-guest-experience/ While transformation work is in full swing at Walt Disney Studios® Park – soon to be called Disney Adventure World – ahead of the opening of World of Frozen and Adventure Way on next March 29, many other projects are underway throughout the destination, elevating the guest experience when coming to life in 2026 & beyond. More magic for Rivers of the Far West at Frontierland® in 2026 By the end of summer 2026, guests will enjoy an enhanced experience at Thunder Mesa Riverboat Landing, thanks to new scenes added along the route of Rivers of the Far West, and inspired by the original drawings of Imagineer and Disney Legend Marc Davis. The new figures, including a buffalo on a prairie, and adorable racoons and a skunk on a floating log, have been specially redesigned and produced for the project by Walt Disney Imagineering Paris teams. Guests will catch a glimpse of these new additions while enjoying arelaxing cruise aboard the iconic Molly Brown boat, which has recently been renovated from stem to stern. New improvements around the Hollywood Tower Hotel In Walt Disney Studios® Park, work is in progress at The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ new covered outdoor waiting area, that will open in Spring 2026. This themed area will enrich the story of The Hollywood Tower Hotel, by representing the remnants of the Patio, that was once a relaxing courtyard with an outdoor pool, greatly appreciated by the show business elite, but fell into disarray. Every material element has been carefully selected to fit with the theme, and to echo the Pueblo Deco architecture of the premises. The props and elements of decor disseminated in the queue will give more clues about the tragic events that occurred at The Hollywood Tower Hotel – preparing guests for what’s awaiting them inside. Next door, the new merchandise location inspired by the 1930s flower shops will open early 2026. The existing structure have been completely reworked to create a boutique harmoniously blending into World Premiere Plaza and its Art Deco-inspired theatre district area. It will offer an authentic atmosphere thanks to an array of props scattered around the boutique, including flower bouquets, pictures celebrating its historical milestones, and even a fridge similar to those used by Californian florists at the time. The major refurbishment of Ratatouille: L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy, started in October 2025, is underway for Imagineers and Disneyland Paris teams. On the menu for this renovation is a generous serving of technical upgrades and scenic enhancements, all carefully crafted to offer guests an even more immersive experience into the world of the Pixar Animation Studios film Ratatouille. The queue will be enhanced with a new scene depicting a Parisian artist’s studio teeming with details and accessories such as canvases on the walls, paint splatters, and a fruit basket that may well whet the appetite of all the adorable rats in the neighbourhood. Inside the attraction, new props, enhanced projections, and larger-than-life props and set pieces – currently being produced – will add extra flavour to key scenes, and enhance guests’ perception of being shrunk to the size of Remy and his friends. Upcoming renovation of Annette’s Diner: Imagineers are getting ready to hit the floor! At Disney Village, Annette’s Diner will temporarily close on 5 January 2026, for a major refurbishment lasting several months. The renovation will focus on enlarging the kitchens and completely refurbishing the dining room, including floors and furniture, while preserving its charm and the retro atmosphere that has been so popular since 1992. Some iconic features will be completely reimagined, such as the bar, whose layout and aesthetic will be redesigned to pay tribute to the distinctive chrome look of classic diners. The booths will also sport a new design inspired by 1950s car seats, in colours typical of the era such as pink, blue and vanilla yellow. When it reopens, Annette’s Diner — with a slightly increased seating capacity — will continue to bring the golden age of Rock ’n’ Roll and the 1950s back to life, much to the delight of its guests. Major renovation of Disney Sequoia Lodge to begin soon! Starting January 2026, major refurbishment work will be carried out to enhance and elevate the experience offered at Disney Sequoia Lodge, while preserving its wooden décor along with its authentic and warm atmosphere. The design will elevate the tribute to the beauty of nature to inspiring new heights. while taking inspiration from the forests following the tradition started by Walt Disney and his team of animators. Every space, from the rooms to the lobby, as well as the shopping and dininglocations, will be reinvented as an ode to wildlife, offering the perfect environment to unwind and let one’s mind wander. As a reminder, the hotel will remain open during the refurbishment work, which will be carried out in phases. These various projects offer just a glimpse of the many upcoming works throughout the destination, and many other projects are being considered to surprise guests during their next visit to Disneyland® Paris. More information to come! https://news.disneylandparis.com/en/unveiling-the-source-of-disney-cascade-of-lights/ At Adventure Bay, the entire team behind Disney Cascade of Lights, the destination’s upcoming second night-time show, is busy getting everything ready for its official launch on 29 March 2026. Here’s your chance to learn more about the design and behind-the-scenes magic of this dazzling production created for Disney Adventure World, the second reimagined park of Disneyland Paris. A CASCADE OF REHEARSALS Darkness has fully settled over Adventure Bay. The construction workers who were still on site at Disney Adventure World a few hours ago have left. Around the lake, a surge of activity breaks the quiet, as the creators and technicians of Disney Cascade of Lights are hard at work. They are currently rehearsing the placement of the impressive structure that will be positioned in the centre of the lake each evening from 29 March 2026, housing key equipment for the show – fountains, lights, projectors, and pyrotechnics. This structure consists of five elements: a 14 m² central platform, connected to four barges whose extending arms form an almost circular shape, echoing the lake’s contours. All of this is done in total silence, with fully electric pusher boats moving the various components from the backstage marina, capable of handling the entire structure’s approximate 160 tonnes. The barge operators have received specialised training to manoeuvre the barges with maximum precision, especially when passing the iconic swing bridge from World of Frozen. Once the structure is securely moored and connected, all that remains are the 379 aerial and aquatic drones specially developed for the show, before rehearsals can begin. A NEW WAVE OF DRONES Producer Ben Spalding has been dreaming of this show for over 7 years. Back then, he was working on Disneyland Paris’ first drone shows, as part of the resort’s 30th anniversary celebrations. First came Disney D-Light, and the following year, Avengers: Power the Night. At both Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios® Park, the aim was to bring stories to life in the sky – reaching up to 120 m high. Soon, he was already thinking ahead to the next experiment, one in which the drones would fly lower and nearer to the audience. Truly revolutionary! The Adventure Bay lake project provided the backdrop for him to turn his vision into reality. Working closely with Dronisos, Disneyland Paris’ official high-tech partner from the outset of this adventure, new drones were developed: aerial drones that are more resistant to wind and rain, as well as aquatic drones, nicknamed ‘ducks’. Thanks to these groundbreaking innovations, the light show will come closer to the audience than ever before and be even more dazzling. ‘The water acts like a mirror that multiplies all our light sources,’ explains Ben Spalding. ‘Our aquatic drones light up the surface of the lake, combined with low-angled lights all around the edges of the lake. And then there are the fountains, each with its own light sources, and the various pyrotechnic effects. It’s a spectacular cascade of lights!’ All these elements come together to create an extraordinary display of water and light, adjusted down to the millimetre so that every component fits perfectly without disrupting the others. ‘The secret is teamwork.The entire show was previewed in 3D. As part of this programme, we used a detailed model of the park, from which each team member – responsible for drones, pyrotechnics, lighting, and more – developed their own plan. This made it possible to visualise, plan and choreograph things in advance so that everything came together perfectly when live.’ To bring this luminous festival to life, a team of 24 technicians will be present each evening. ‘That’s more than twice as many as for shows like Disney Dreams or Disney Illumination. That just goes to show the complexity and richness of Disney Cascade of Lights!’ A RUSH OF EMOTIONS All this technology would be meaningless if it didn’t serve the audience’s emotions, guided by a strong, engaging story. ‘Focusing on emotion and storytelling was a key priority. We wanted a concept that could resonate with all European audiences, and that’s how we came up with the idea of Inspiration,’recalls Ben. Like Peter Pan’s shadow in Disney Dreams, Inspiration has become a character in its own right and the show’s guiding light. It’s also the link between the audience and the characters in the story. And every one of these characters was carefully selected. Mulan’s commitment is driven by honour and family, just as Moana’s is guided by the ocean, inspiring her to embark on adventures for the good of her community. It is Hercules’ courage of heart that makes him a true hero, just as Judy Hopps’ sense of duty drives her to rise above prejudices and become part of the Zootopia police force. Each Avenger followed their own inspiration and path before becoming a hero, just as Carl Fredriksen did in his unique way, driven by the promise he made to a loved one. Director Susan Plyer (Minnie’s Dream Factory ) was particularly inspired by this concept and these characters. ‘Each and every one of them embodies an emotion that can strike a chord with every guest,’ Susan says. ‘They are an endless source of inspiration in our lives, whether in helping others, supporting family, or finding the courage to face daily challenges.’ The character’s visuals have been meticulously crafted, with both design and colour carefully calibrated to suit projection onto a water curtain. Music is both the emotional driver of the show and the metronome that keeps all its elements in perfect harmony. Composed by Mark Hammond (‘Lost in the Magic’) and produced by Jonathan Barr, the show’s score was recorded in the legendary Abbey Road studios in London by a 90-piece orchestra, and is accompanied by an original song, ‘We Can Be Heroes’, which in itself embodies the show’s spirit. A 360° VIEW The creators of Disney Cascade of Lights paid close attention to ensuring that spectators enjoyed the best possible experience from every seat – a major challenge given the scale of this massive 3-hectare lake. Not only was the design of the central structure crucial, but so too was the placement of 240-plus floodlights and light points directed at the lake, as well as the sound setup throughout Adventure Bay. Taking a 360° approach also requires addressing the environmental impact of a production of this scale. From the fully electric power supply for the boats, reducing the carbon footprint, to the lake’s filtration system employing different fish species, to the residue-free materials used in fireworks and pyrotechnics, every aspect has been meticulously planned. As a result, the show leaves a minimal environmental footprint, but a maximal emotional one, giving the audience unforgettable memories shaped by the flood of emotion poured in by every creator, from the initial concept down to the final technical detail. https://news.disneylandparis.com/en/a-new-original-soundtrack-for-adventure-way-at-disney-adventure-world/ From 29 March 2026, guests arriving on Adventure Way will be welcomed by an original soundtrack specially created for this promenade by composer Philippe Rombi. This brand-new theme, lasting more than 40 minutes and recorded at the legendary Abbey Road studios, will offer guests a magical interlude at the heart of Disney Adventure World. On Saturday 13 December, French composer Philippe Rombi surprised Disneyland® Paris fans during an event in the heart of the resort by personally unveiling the new musical theme written for Adventure Way, the new lush alley that will, from spring 2026, link together the immersive worlds of Disney Adventure World. Alongside Michel den Dulk, Portfolio Executive Creative Director at Walt Disney Imagineering Paris, he spoke about the inspiration behind the composition of this suite. While the music for worlds such as World of Frozen is naturally based on the animated films, an area as unique as Adventure Way could only have an original score — a first for Disneyland Paris since 1992 and the original soundtrack heard in Discoveryland. To rise to this musical challenge, and inspired by his distinctive style, the Imagineers decided to call upon a composer well known in French cinema: Philippe Rombi. Nominated four times for the César Awards, notably for the film Joyeux Noël, whose soundtrack was recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra at the legendary Abbey Road studios, he recorded the music for Adventure Way under the same conditions, during the summer of 2025, with the 84 musicians of this iconic orchestra. It was a return to his roots for the composer, who worked as a pianist at the Disneyland Hotel when Disneyland Paris opened in 1992! Building on creative discussions, concept reviews, and even a visit to the Disney Adventure World construction site, Philippe Rombi devised two main themes inspired by notions of adventure, travel, wonder, and distant horizons. From these two main motifs, he composed a magnificent suite of nearly 40 minutes that resonates throughout Adventure Way, including the various themed gardens that are part of it. For these gardens, he added subtle nods to Disney themes — Peter Pan and 101 Dalmatians for the Gazebo Garden, and Tangled for its dedicated garden. A special piano version can also be heard at The Regal View Restaurant & Lounge. The result is a perfect blend of Philippe Rombi’s artistic identity and Disney’s musical universe! “Choosing to create original music for an entire area of a Disney Park is extremely rare, and it’s even rarer to entrust this job to a French composer. It’s a true recognition of my work and a real honour. I’ve always composed from the heart, driven by my passion. The fact that my music moved the Imagineers to the point where they felt they could entrust me with this huge responsibility means a great deal to me”, declared Philippe Rombi. https://news.disneylandparis.com/en/exclusive-spotlight-on-minnies-dream-factory/ After six magical seasons, the Dream Factory is reopening its doors from 7 February 2026 for a reimagined show, this time starring Minnie and friends. A NEW ADVENTURE STARRING MINNIE AND FRIENDS After a short break, the dream machine at the Dream Factory is back in action and ready to turn dreams into magic. Everything began back in 2024, when director Susan Plyer had the idea of putting Minnie and all her Disney friends in the spotlight. ‘I wanted to give the show a new twist, so I suggested that Minnie and her friends should be in charge of the Dream Factory. Our Disney Characters are the very heart of Disney, so who better than them to nurture our dreams?’ In this new story, Minnie lovingly leads all her friends who work in the Dream Factory, including Chip & Dale, who are the comedy duo of the show. Meanwhile, Donald looks after each and every technical detail, while Daisy brings her energy and enthusiasm to the challenges and helps motivate her colleagues – a real dream team! ‘This is a new vision of the Dream Factory,’ explains Susan. We’ve kept the idea of this marvellous machine that transforms our dreams into magic, while offering a more up-to-date story that’s even closer to our guests. In this adventure, when problems arise, they’re solved as a team! Achieving your dreams is always a challenge, and it’s only by helping each other that you can succeed. That’s what this show is all about.’ A UNIQUE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE As in any self-respecting musical, the songs take centre stage. They move the story along and allow the various characters to share their emotions with the audience. To create the soundtrack, Susan went through the Disney Channel music archives and selected the songs whose lyrics best suited the new experience. These songs were then specially adapted to meet the needs of each scene, giving the audience the chance to sing along with the Disney Characters to iconic tunes from the Disney Channel repertoire in new version, featuring a new original score. The show’s creators also wanted guests to feel closer to the action, with more opportunities for interaction. For example, Susan worked closely with lighting designer Adrien Mourey to highlight the front of the stage area, where much of the interaction with the audience will take place. ‘My aim is for visitors to feel even more involved in the show. Including the stage and the mezzanine, we now have three levels, three places from which to tell our story, with the front-of-stage area providing a privileged space for sharing.’ This strong bond with the audience is also expressed in the script, written in collaboration with the author of the very first show, Ludovic-Alexandre Vidal. ‘His approach matches this new vision perfectly. Since he is familiar with every detail of the first version, he was able to add a host of subtle touches to bring alive the proximity I was looking for.’ The Factory’s appearance has also been redesigned. From the moment they arrive, audiences will be immersed in a brand-new lighting atmosphere, then discover a set adapted by scenographer Tiphaine Bonin, filled with playful nods to Minnie. The new costumes worn by the Disney Characters in the show were designed and created at Disneyland Paris. The special effects are equally spectacular, featuring favourites like the dream bubbles, and introducing some brand-new surprises. A DREAM CAST On stage, alongside Donald, Daisy, and Chip & Dale, Minnie has a whole dream team to keep the Factory up and running. These exceptional colleagues are not only singers, but also actors and dancers. This is referred to as ‘triple talent’: a distinctive quality of musical-theatre artists, trained across all three disciplines. ‘I know this world well, and that is exactly the energy I wanted to give to our show. After all, this is World Premiere Plaza!’ To form this team, over 800 hopefuls took part in the auditions, including newcomers and veterans of the show, all determined to continue this adventure, at both an artistic and human level. The first selections focused on solo singing before concentrating on dance and then singing in harmony. Improvisation was also at the heart of the process, both individually and in groups. Finally, fourteen of the applicants were chosen to join the show’s cast. They are all rehearsing hard as we speak to be ready for the launch of the new season. ‘These rehearsals are very intense because all three of my teams – the vocal coach, the acting coach and the dance captains – are present at the same time to ensure that each discipline reaches its highest level. That’s why we had to recruit only the very best!’ The cast also includes actors who sign in French sign language (LSF). This season, they move beyond narrating, becoming fully integrated into the production itself. As in previous years, this ‘multilingual’ version will be available at weekends, on public holidays and during the school holidays. Join us on 7 February to dream together and discover a show that will appeal to young and old alike, brought to you by Disneyland Paris. ‘All too often, we tend to forget our dreams, letting daily life take priority over our aspirations,’Susan concludes. But you can dream at any age and in any situation. It might be something as simple as taking some time for yourself, or something magical … such as staging a show at Disneyland Paris! I really wanted this new story to inspire everyone. Because dreams have no limits …’

yup. . look at Day 1. . . Raclette was day one.

Day 2: Forbidden City, Lunch, and Sun Park! Bonus visit to Olympic park area this night with smaller group too. Day 2 part 1: up and ready to go, but first, breakfast! another character from Despicable Me. . one of the girls, no idea which one tho this time I remembered to snap a pic of some of the food on my plate before diving in and then it was everyone onto the bus, as we headed back into Central Beijing from the Universal Resort area. today was gonna start with Culture, and end with our first "traditional" Chinese park. view of some of the massive clusters of buildings as you approach the outskirts of Beijing this is where it starts to get interesting, as we get into the "inner walls" area of the City, over the Canal guardians. the building on the far left is the Southeast Corner Tower, of the Beijing Ming City Wall. it's over 550 years old, and anchors an area called "Beijing Ming City Wall Ruins Park" - that features an almost 1 mile long section of the Beijing City wall from the Ming Dynasty. we didn't stop to see it, but got a great view of it as we passed it on our way to the nearby Forbidden City. closer view of the southeast corner tower and some snaps of the actual wall, as we drive along side it. the tightening Security is VERY noticeable as we get closer to the Forbidden City Imperial Palace - a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is arguably the most famous palace in all of Chinese history, and is the largest preserved royal palace complex still standing in the world. (per Wikipedia). tour buses and cars are not allowed within a few blocks of the Forbidden City, so a tourism spot has sprung up in the blocks around it, as buses and taxis drop of groups that then walk to the front entrance. so these next pics are walking from the drop off, up to the palace walls. the "fruit on a stick" encased in Sugar seemed to be VERY popular in China, and saw it at every park we went to, and at many street stands. it basically is just fresh fruit and sugar, but it IS very good, and I had it several times. finally approaching the outside (side) wall of the Forbidden City. . tho we still had to go around to the front for entry we'd be heading up this way to go thru the gates around the corner for the main entrance / security screening but this is the inner canal that surrounds the Forbidden City. .the last line of defense against attack other than the high palace walls. TPR listening to facts from our guide about the Forbidden City. walking along the side wall to get to the front entrance it really is quite impressive from the outside. . and once you're inside, it's even more so - with courtyard after courtyard opening up, and seeming to go on for miles! some folks out doing photo shoots off the canal that goes around the Forbidden City still heading towards the main entrance and here are the main gates into the front of the Forbidden City - not into the actual palace, but into the area that gets you into the palace the "Door Nails" that the wonderful Dumpling I had the day before were named after! and NOW we're in the courtyard that serves as the main entrance to the Forbidden City complex. yeah and this was on a TUESDAY!!! just the crowds were impressive this is the security screening line to get it and have tickets scanned thru these main gates, you are then in the Palace grounds our guide, with her "fish on a stick" so we wouldn't lose her in the masses of people! to see it with your own eyes. . truly, you aren't prepared for the sight once you go thru this tunnel. breathtaking and this is just the first, of many, courtyards a quiet back alley off the main square (we had all gone to the side for a bathroom break) the people lined up in these stanchions are for entrance to the building just off to the right, and it's to view the Imperial Jewels. A separate ticket (and wait) was required for that, so we didn't do that on this trip - perhaps a visit back just for that in the future. . .but I saw enough stunning things to not miss at all not going into the Imperial Jewels building. up the stairs and thru these buildings to the next courtyard over the beautiful carved bridges. TPR at the Forbidden City - thanks to Robb for the picture up and thru to the next courtyard. and it's just as breathtaking and awe inspiring as the entry courtyard up the next set of stairs, and we come across flame pots to light and warm the complex and thru to another courtyard. this one including a building with intricate woodwork laced with gold, and containing a throne (it was gated off, but the doors were open to peek in. there were SO many people there tho, I got the best pics I could of said throne) these giant golden / bronze vats that were used to store oil were on either side of many of the "main" buildings in each square. Our guide told me that these are replicas, but they are all so worn from visitors rubbing them for luck. all of the buildings in the Forbidden City complex are beautifully detailed, and have intricate carvings on each corner, that represent many things (that I can't recall, or would share with you) going into the next courtyard - that building way, WAY off in the distance? is part of the complex. . that's how big this palace is. but that far back is not open to the Public, which only can view a portion of the Palace. Oh, it's a HUGE portion of the complex, but not even close to a third of it. stepping down into the next courtyard. it truly is awe inspiring and overwhelming looking down into yet another courtyard, as we made our way thru the areas open to the public this carving up the back side of one of the main buildings in this courtyard is made from just 3 giant pieces of stone. it's incredible. one of the many maps in the Forbidden City. This one just for the Inner court courtyards. our guide specifically wanted to bring us down this way - saying it would be less crowded, as many aren't aware it's here (and she was correct) she wanted to show us into this building/vault that contains some really amazing Jade carvings. just a sampling of the wonderful pieces on display here: and then it was off to the back of the "open to the public" areas - the Imperial Garden area - where the Emperor allowed his Concubines to relax, and play (since they were confined to Imperial Palace grounds) it really was a bit of surprise to turn the corner and find these amazing gardens back here! and with that, we had walked a (mostly) straight line thru the public areas in the Forbidden City, and headed towards the back gate. we were off to have our first group lunch on the trip before heading to the next stop. I am so thankful I got to experience this, it truly is a wonder to see in person. one of the other buildings off in the distance that's part of the Imperial Palace / Forbidden City the back exit gate is just as crowded, but less chaotic than the front entrance an overall map of the palace sections that are open to the public walking back towards the bus. . one final look back at the Forbidden City to be continued. . .

All those 'loop' sculptures in the display case ... those were awards? Interesting. And ....any raclette during this visit to the park? Thought I'd inquire.

Särkänniemi has announced the addition of a new family coaster, Konect which will open at the park in the summer of 2026. The park's largest investment of the decade will be longest family coaster Vekoma has built in Europe and among the tallest family coasters of its type. https://sarkanniemi.fi/en/rides/konect Konect is a tribute to Tampere, to courage, and to shared moments Tampere. A city that has always moved boldly forward. The clatter of hooves turned into the chug of steam locomotives. The hum of Nysse buses became the ringing of the tram. Now something new is appearing on the horizon: a track that makes traveling together more memorable than ever. The adventure begins, of course, at the world’s center of joy, Särkänniemi. Along the way you will see world class landmarks: the sky reaching Näsinneula tower and Lake Näsijärvi stretching into the distance, and of course the whole of Särkänniemi. The ride itself is the finishing touch: Konect brings together the youngest and the oldest, the bravest and the calmest, because the best journey is created when it is shared. Särkänniemi’s largest investment of the decade, the family roller coaster named Konect, will open for summer 2026. This unique coaster has been designed specifically for Särkänniemi, so there is nothing quite like it anywhere else. Konect is the first major roller coaster in Finland that riders as short as 100 cm can enjoy with an adult. Without an adult, riders must be over 120 cm tall. The track, more than half a kilometer long, will run above the amusement park area, partly skimming right along the shoreline of Lake Näsijärvi. The coaster will spread across the Troika, X, and Tyrsky areas, significantly changing the park’s skyline. Konect will be the longest family roller coaster Vekoma has ever built in Europe. It will also be the highest rising family coaster in its class. This wonderful family roller coaster has been designed for a very wide audience, as even a 100 cm tall child can ride with an adult. The goal is to offer shared experiences and joy for larger groups as well, with just the right amount of thrilling fun for small children, teenagers, adults, and grandparents alike. Family Rides Minimum height limit with an adult - 100 cm Minimum height limit alone - 120 cm Top speed - 68 km / h Track length - 525 m Highest point - 27 m

Holy crap. Reading your TR's made me remember that Europa Park is on my bucket list.

My wife and our kindergartner went to KK for their Christmas event last Saturday. It was very cold, so it wasn't that crowded. They only had portions of the park open, including most of the children and family sections. The Christmas lights were really well done. The buildings were covered with mostly traditional red, green, and white colors. They had a group singing Christmas carols to the left when you came in. The big Christmas tree was also lit up for photo ops at the main entrance. The videos we saw from years prior recommended to skip the wait for Rudolph. However, they didn't have kids with them, so we decided to wait it out about 30 minutes. The show was a very well done condensed 5D version of the classic Rudolph. Our little girl loved it. The abominable snowman was in the shop at the exit, which we didn't see until our daughter noticed him and excitedly pranced over there. KK was selling photo-ops with the creature (and aforementioned tree). However, most of the kids just wanted to meet him. That, and even with the tree, they had large unobstructed areas to the side where you could take your own decent pictures that just weren't directly in front of you. Every roller coaster in the park was closed, including the small children and family coaster. That didn't bother me, since I usually get one ride in at most when we're with our daughter. We have a lot more fun going on the bullshit kid rides and watching her, anyway. Crazy how things change. The park had a small snow area for young kids. There was also a 150 foot ice/tubing slide. My isn't brave, so she wasn't having anything to do with that. It was predictable, and I was thankful because the lines were packed. The antique cars looked like they had a few light displays throughout, but our daughter decided she had to pee badly when we were about to board soon, after about 20 minutes. Lol. IYKYK KK did not serve alcohol during this event. Instead, they had hot cider and hot chocolate. They really nailed the temperature of the hot drinks, so kids could dive right in without burning their lips. KK had plenty of Christmas merch throughout the store. I got my first park Christmas ornament. It's a metal Ferris wheel with Christmas colors and "Kentucky Kingdom" on it. However, I wasn't allowed to put it on our Christmas tree, since there are no "custom" ornaments on it...... We had a good time. We were there for about 3 hours. I wouldn't say it was worth a weekend trip from Saint Louis to Louisville alone, but we planned other events along with it. If you're int he area, I can't recommend Lights Under Louisville, enough. It's about a 30 minute drive-thru light display through a quarry, and it was so well done. For me, it was by far the best Christmas light display activity I had ever done. Be aware, lines will back up several hours long onto the interstate, it's that popular. We went at 2PM on a Saturday and waited about 45 minutes, which wasn't bad. I wouldn't go any later than that, unless you buy the priority pass. That can still be a lengthy wait from what I read.

Day 8: Europa Park day 2 what's crazy, is after a full day in the park yesterday? there was SO MUCH MORE that we hadn't even gotten to yet. in fact, I had made a point the prior day of telling the folks I had been hanging around with that "tomorrow I was gonna do a lot of the slow moving/stupid stuff that I love" and that they were welcome to come along with me to "enjoy" as well. So a lot of that will be in this update. a quick breakfast, and at the Resort Entrance gate before they even opened, as TPR had some ERT this morning before the park opened to the public. we passed Eurosat Can-Can coaster (for the moment), as our first ERT today was: Silver Star! the park's B&M Hyper thanks to Elissa for this pic then we headed right next door for some ERT on EuroSat: the Can Can Coaster TPR Morning ERT complete, we were let loose in the park, and since we were so close to Italy? I headed directly to Ghost Castle - as noted, one of my favorite dark rides in the park. Tho today, I had my phone out to snap some pics while riding. a great queue line. .. before you get into your "ghost cart" that rides you along thru the haunted castle. (I know this pic is a bit blurry, but the best I could get to grab the effect of the skeletons projected on top of the figures. . a fantastic surprise) "Ma-damn that's not Leota" and exit thru the gift shop. . which had this wonderful section dedicated to Traumatica. We'd experience Traumatica later that night, and I'd buy a BUNCH of merch. but no way could I fit this umbrella in my luggage, so had to just settle for a pic of it. next up was the first of many slow/silly rides that I love. this one is a suspended monorail that goes over a portion of the park, and is themed to Leonardo Da Vinci's "flying machine" sketches we flew over the boat ride we'd go to next. . the ride vehicles have pedals, but you do not HAVE to pedal, it's electric. an antique car ride we'd get to later one of THE most WTF rides in the park, that's also terrifying: the marionette / clown boat ride. and this was new since my last visit: the Jim Knopf train ride (that appeared to be based on a television show over here) the load station of that terrifying marionette / clown ride yes, it's called: marionetten bootsfahrt the observation tower (ridden yesterday) and a haunt meet and greet that was set up for later it is such a lovely park hi TPR, in the vehicle behind me. and then it was onto one of multiple "slow moving boat rides" that Europa has. all of them pretty long, all of them pretty bizarre, and all of them right up my alley. this one was themed to fairly land. NOTED! Fun TPR selfie on the fairly boat the other half of "our" TPR gang that were hanging out with me today. Christopher took a selfie on this too that he shared with me. . his is a bit crisper. . at least I think we look happier in this one. and then it was across to that new "train" ride the operator had absolutely no qualms about putting us one each in the train, as the line was so short. I guess this is the guy who's show it is. they were screening clips in the queue and it seemed to be an adventure type show with dragons and mystical village. the ride vehicle. . . but I think I probably snapped this pic for that sign that says a person is not allowed to ride in underwear. . .LOL you could pull that cord and blow the horn and make the stack smoke! pretty long ride, with indoor section (as many things here at Europa seem to have) Jonathan enjoying the ride Christopher Jon oooo. . .a train!!! know where I'm going shortly Nick Wilfried Hans and one of me to close it out. walking over to the WTF marionette ride, got a great view of the suspended Da Vinci ride that goes overhead in this area, along with some more pumpkin theming on marionetten bootsfahrt, the rafts are TINY. . . so we split up into groups of 2 or 3. Myself and Jonathan rode together it really is very creepy, and kinda charming but mostly? it's WTF??????? the Monorail passes thru the park as well (going between the Hotels, and the front gate, as well as a stop over by Greece). there are LOTS of ways to get great views of this park. more bewbs aha!. . here's one of the train stations, close to where we'd gotten off the prior ride. yes please. TPR tiny train takeover! this train really does loop around a very large portion of the park. not all of it, but a lot of it, and is well worth the time spent to ride. It has multiple stops thruout the park, but you don't have to exit unless you want to. a great way to see the park as well. wait. . the taxis are called "Oltimer Fahrt" ?? Oh, I'd ABSOLUTELY be coming back to ride this then. and offride view of marionetten bootsfahrt coming into the England section, you can see how this would NEVER go in USA. there are no track guards, and no crossing signals other than just a sign. They just expect people to not be stupid and be aware of a train coming as it crosses walking paths. a replica of the Globe theater. sadly in two days here, I never managed to catch the show in here. Paddington statue at the England station. ooooo. . ANOTHER elevated monorail? ok then, that's on my list too now. over by the Arthur section now, and a better view of that adorable kiddie mine cart ride I saw yesterday. you can see from the size of the child riding, that this one was a "don't even try to ride it" situation. but it was so cute! more people stopping because they are smart and know a train will hurt them. runes in the Arthur section, by the suspended track for the ride. there is a ton of theming for the train. .even when passing by areas that you can ONLY see from the train. hard to see here, but the swings are themed to a giant Mushroom again, theming just for the train riders passing by the rebuilt log flume / mine train area the "Spain" train station a great view from the train, showing how the flume interacts with the mine train and the walking paths there's also a great river rapids ride here in the park. lots of ways to get soaked here. while on the train, I spotted that the 2nd monorail station was above the Roller Coaster restaurant, near the station in Russia. So we exited the train there, and walked over to the monorail, stopping to get a couple of pics of Euro Mir as we passed it. To be continued in part 2

Tinkers Toy Factory Christmas Show!

I would ride the crap out of that slow moving, suspended, Puss in Boots ride! someday, I've GOT to get to Singapore.

Screw it. You're already supporting them every time you drive your car. I stopped paying attention to the outspoken mentality from businesses, corporations, and even some religions. There are so many anti-cop and anti-Christian organizations out there that it's exhausting to try to pay attention. I'm still benefitting the individuals working at these places who have nothing against me personally. I support the individuals who have jobs and lives. I suppose I've dealt with enough people who literally want me dead that people who are outspoken against me or my way of life don't bother me. It doesn't matter anyway, since a roller coaster isn't enough to get me to board a miserable intercontinental flight.

Six Flags Magic Mountain has announced that Bugs Bunny World will be expanded and refreshed to become Looney Tunes Land in 2026. This new land will be split up into four sections inspired by Bugs Bunny, the Tasmanian Devil, Wile E. Coyote and Daffy Duck. https://www.instagram.com/p/DSVMKmdjfXM/?hl=en Get ready, folks! A whole new era of family fun is coming to Magic Mountain in 2026. We’re expanding Bugs Bunny World into the all-new Looney Tunes™ Land, inspired by the charm and nostalgia of your favorite classic characters. Explore Taz’s tropical chaos, journey through the New Mexico badlands with Wile E. Coyote, relax in Bugs Bunny’s cozy central park, and discover Daffy Duck’s High Sierra adventures. There will be something fun waiting in every direction. Construction begins this January, and we can’t wait to share each milestone! Follow along for more updates as we track the progress of Looney Tunes™ Land coming to life. #LooneyTunesLand https://ktla.com/news/theme-parks/looney-tunes-land-is-coming-to-six-flags-magic-mountain-in-2026/ Six Flags Magic Mountain has announced a major overhaul of its Bugs Bunny World family area. The area will be reimagined and renamed Looney Tunes Land, divided into four themed areas inspired by Bugs Bunny, the Tasmanian Devil, Wile E. Coyote and Daffy Duck. Park officials say the update will include refreshed attractions, new play spaces and expanded theming throughout the area. The land is scheduled to debut in summer 2026. At the heart of the new land will be a cozy central park, where Bugs Bunny welcomes guests into his home. In the other areas, visitors will traverse the New Mexico desert in pursuit of the Road Runner with Wile E. Coyote, explore lush tropical regions alongside Taz and take in the High Sierra with Daffy Duck. TAZ-MANIA The Tasmanian Devil-themed section will feature a tropical setting. The Whistlestop Train will be rethemed as Taz’s Tasmanian Train Tours, taking guests through the area. However, be warned: the Tasmanian Devil has escaped his enclosure and is set to wreak havoc along the way. A new Taz’s Exploration Trail will replace the former Magic Flyer and Tweety’s Escape locations, offering a walk-through experience with interactive elements. New seating and turf are also planned. ROAD RUNNER RIDGE Inspired by the New Mexico desert, this area centers on Wile E. Coyote’s pursuit of the Road Runner. The zone will include desert rockwork, ACME-themed details and a painted tunnel meant to evoke the look of classic cartoons. BUGS BUNNY PLAY PARK The Bugs Bunny-themed section will replace Speedy Gonzalez Hot Rods and Pepe Le Pew’s Tea Party. Plans include new free-play and exploration areas, as well as a refurbished Merrie Melodies Merrie-Go-Round with updated colors and signage. The restaurant Wascal’s will also be refreshed, with new picnic seating and a redesigned exterior. A new Granny’s House facade with an explorable interior is planned for the back of the restaurant. CAMP DUCK AMUCK In the Daffy Duck-themed area, Taz’s Trucking Company will become Daffy’s Forest Four-Wheelers, a ride that places guests in ranger-style vehicles. The High Sierra-inspired zone will feature updated scenery, character scenes and signage focused on conservation and outdoor safety. The Looney Tunes Lodge will also be rethemed to resemble a mountain cabin and receive new flooring. The transformation of the family area into Looney Tunes Land is set to begin in early January, following the Holiday in the Park seasonal event. The process will be conducted in three phases, with access to areas not undergoing construction open to the public. The introduction of the new land will also coincide with Six Flags’ 55th anniversary. It’s also part of the company’s multi-year focus on the park, which began with the complete refurbishment and improvement of Hurricane Harbor in 2025. Last year, the company announced a $1 billion investment over the next two years to enhance the guest experience.

Visited for the first time last summer -- crazy crowds (but friendly, because Canada), absolutely beautiful park. Has the most trees with the least shade ever. Also, don't snooze on the acrobat show -- we wandered in to get out of the heat and crowds in August and it was far, far better than it had any right to be. Well worth it and a great midday break.

Yeah! Im planning on the USGP in 2026 which reminded me of this park and I was shocked that according to RCDB Circuit Breaker was open! I didn't see even the slightest thing about it! The POV looks epic!

We normally get the day off on the monday of the long weekend, so May 25 in this case. If you waited for the tuesday or later in the week it may be better. It looks like Wonderland starts daily operations the week before. Normally early season weekdays are quieter unless schools are having class trips. It is a nice time of year to go. reach out closer to the date, and if i have time i can meet up if you like.

Bobbejaanland has announced that the children's area of the park will be revamped to feature three new attractions in a new land themed to Nickelodeon properties. This new land is scheduled to open at the park in 2027. https://nnieuws.be/artikel/2027-zet-bobbejaanland-3-nieuwe-attracties-neer-met-nickelodeon-grootste-investering-ooit A few weeks ago, Bobbejaanland confirmed that 2027 would be a significant year for investment. The children's area at the park entrance is getting a complete makeover with three new attractions, in collaboration with Nickelodeon. The Nickelodeon characters have been a fixture at Bobbejaanland for several years, with a successful dance show and meet & greet. Starting in 2027, Nickelodeon will also have its own zone with three family attractions, a souvenir shop, a food and beverage station, and much more. In addition to SpongeBob SquarePants and the friends from Bikini Bottom, Garfield will also be there this time. Biggest investment ever "Next year, Bobbejaanland will have been a true family park for exactly 65 years. With the announced investment, we confirm that we want to remain that way. There's always something for the whole family to enjoy," says Yves Peeters, the park's General Manager. "We have the ambition to continue growing, and we're convinced we can, especially with a partner like Paramount combined with one of the largest investments ever." 3 new attractions: spectacular water ride, a wild swing and a free-fall tower Bobbejaanland will begin major renovations in the fall of 2026. The Flying Orca—which has been happily spinning with the youngest visitors since 2002—will be removed from the park. The carousel will make way for something much more impressive: a "Wild Swing" by ART Engineering, which will propel 18 guests simultaneously through the air up to a height of 12 meters. This attraction is tailor-made for Plankton. He's still striving for world domination. To this end, he's invented a gigantic machine powered by the electrical charge of a tank full of jellyfish. Plankton hopes the machine will create a superpower that will allow him to first destroy Bikini Bottom and then conquer the world! Take part in Plankton's experiment and swing through the air in "Plankton Power." A little further on, the Kettingmolen (Chain Mill) currently stands, but it will be relocated to another beautiful spot in the park. The nostalgic swing carousel will be replaced by a 21-meter-high "Big Wavez" from manufacturer Zamperla. The latter is a unique water attraction – unique in Europe – in which 20 guests sit side by side and are lifted into the air, only to plunge back down. This creates a 10-meter-high tidal wave, making even bystanders part of the spectacle. It sounds just like SpongeBob SquarePants. He's organizing a diving competition at Mussel Beach. Larry Lobster competes against a handful of volunteers, while Patrick watches from his comfy lifeguard chair. Or is he asleep? Who will create the biggest wave with a high dive? Take a seat in "Splash Down" and give it a try. Bobbejaanland is adding another experience to its lineup of new attractions. It's a 15-meter-high free-fall tower for the whole family, from the same builder as "Big Wavez." Garfield is the one who's making this attraction his own. From now on, he'll be celebrating his birthday every day at Bobbejaanland. His friends Odie and Jon have organized a surprise party for Garfield and hidden a giant cake at the top of the free-fall tower. Children are invited to retrieve the cake along with Garfield's friends. Only then can the party really begin. Welcome to "Garfield's Birthday Surprise." New zone will be a cozy and active place to spend time for the whole family “In addition to the new attractions, there will be much more to experience in the new zone,” says Peggy Verelst, commercial and creative director. On the way to "Garfield's Birthday Surprise," guests will encounter fun photo opportunities, and on the way to "Plankton Power," they'll have to navigate dangerous jellyfish. Next to "Splash Down," Sandy Cheeks has built a "hydro lab" where you can shoot water pistols at targets. The new family zone at Bobbejaanland will be a complete experience. Opening is expected in spring 2027.

Day 3: Continued. . . across from the corn was the first time I really got to see the treats on a stick that I'd get to know across many parks to come: LtR: Potato with mayo, Potato with ketchup, Potato, hot dog / sausage made pretty and spices, and fried cheese on a stick (sometimes with a hotdog inside, sometimes not), also along the bottom various filled "pancake". also a delicacy: Squid on a stick. we weren't gonna eat just yet, as were still full from breakfast. but I WAS intrigued by the "Rainbow EPCOT" Mexican restaurant. Which seemed to serve "authentic Mexican Pho" LOL behind it was a giant Frisbee tho. . so we decided to go on that. as it had no wait today it was a fun, tho short cycle, and gave a great view of the Waterpark on one side and some wonderful views across the central lake at the rest of the park. here's the top of Crystal Wing (under the water park slide), the Family Inverted, and the most you can see of the SLC (Golden Wings Over the Snowfield), across the lilly filled lake and looking back towards the "Mexican restaurant", the B&M Hyper here comes the train! let's see if I can get splashdown from this angle. . . yup! as we continued around the park after our ride on the Frisbee, we entered into Frontier Town area. . which had some . . . um. . . . "problematic" theming. I thought it was shockingly hysterical, and they were all the nicest people! so of course I snapped some pics. this looked like another show, but the times listed seemed to be only for weekend operations. but I did peek into the entry to snap a pic of the stage. Dying to know what the show would have been like (I have to look that up) based on the next group of folks that were "themed" Yup. . cavewomen in raised huts with Corn, holding bones. or a leopard skin purse. . . although. . this IS the kind of theme park job I'd totally sign up for "lay in a hut all day and wave to people" LOL this was a huge, and impressive, water feature on the side of the stage building. it really was massive, and I *guess* it's Speak no Evil, Hear no Evil, See no Evil ? and I DO love me a throne my fist official exposure to smelly Tofu. we didn't try it hear, but here is where I was able to really put the smell together with what it was, so I always knew when I was near a stand selling it. (and yes, I did try it later in the trip, and I liked it). I honestly have very little memory of this ride. i THINK it was a boat ride that was kinda like "it's a small world" ? I have some pics from outside, and a pic in the queue, but absolutely none from the ride itself. not even ones that came out blurry or bad, I just didn't take any. which implies I was very unimpressed by it. or maybe my feet just hurt, and I was focusing on sitting in the boat? or maybe my Battery was dying and I wanted to save it for Carousel pics? anyways. .here's the outside of "Happy World" and a couple of queue pics. there seemed to be an entire show building / museum here, and tho it looked interesting, it was more important to eat something and get a few other things in. so we bypassed this. my goal (really at most parks, especially if they have a unique carousel) OMG. .these Horses! and it's a double decker. . tho they only operated the bottom Stacy rode with me we were really getting hungry, but this thing next door to the Carousel caught our eye. what the hell is it? "Flying Cake". .. a stand up Rockin Tug type ride! which looked like it was once Surf themed before it got moved to this area, and hadn't been rethemed other than the base of it ONLY to add these two figures. . .HA! not gonna lie tho. . it was really fun, and I'm glad we stopped and rode it. never been on anything like it before. a look at the closed today Crystal Wing track, and the B&M flyer across the lake from "Flying Cake" Crystal Wing theming. . as we headed towards the front to eat something. ohhh.. some street entertainment going on here in the cookie/bakery section. . so we stopped and watched for a moment. and then went up to the front where there were about a dozen "food cart" stands. . all standing empty. But the operators were in the back of the carts, and when they saw a customer come up, they came out and greeted you. still being very early in the trip, I opted for more traditional Chinese street food for my lunch. (a pancake that had a lot of different things in it) Stacy stuck more to traditional noodles. what mine looked like once I got it in a cup and William had dumplings. the park was playing some "interesting" music up near the front where the food stands were. . including this nearly 8 minute mix of a song that seemed to be called "put your ass in the air" it was very catchy, and eventually got to me AAJM2130.MP4 getting close to the meet up time, in chatting with someone, they mentioned that the big building we had passed was a large indoor section. so we went over to check it out with about 30 minutes to spare. it really was a really large area. and it appeared that at one point the park did have a junior coaster in here, but now it was just a virtual one, so we passed. but a Dumbo type ride, a small frisbee ride. . . and then an Air Race on top of a gift shop! if we hadn't' just eaten, I totally would have ridden the Air Race. but luckily there's one close-by at Fiesta Texas. . so I didn't' mind skipping it. and then it was time to meet up at the front gate and head out to the next destination. (for those of us who wanted to go to Tiananmen Square) while others went sight seeing on their own, or stayed in the park for a bit longer. to be Concluded. . .

The park's Facebook page posted photos early this morning showing the ride topped out.

Cool shot, but there's no way that was taken from AT&T stadium. There's a hotel and an old baseball stadium in between. That's the end of the one way drive between the parking lot and the Judge Roy Scream lake.

When you realize there are actually people on that lift, but the drop is so massive you have to zoom in to see them... What a monster.

^ everything that was sit down seemed to need reservations (as I mentioned, we had to come back an hour later for seating in the Medieval Restaurant). Could just be time of year tho?

Travis Swift doesn't seem to care much about the mid-smaller parks enough to do anything with them. No need to send them to Michigan's Adventure just to send them to a flagship park later on if the park eats shit along with SFA.

The sights and sounds of Holiday In The Park!

apparently the folks behind COTALand (at the Circuit of the Americas) - finally are listening to my (and our other friends advice / nudging), and have started promoting on their FB page! (these pics were taken by my friend Nick Carlos, 1/2 of the Quirky Coaster Couple) here are the pics COTALand uploaded of Circuit Breaker (the Tilt Coaster): Think you can handle Circuit Breaker? New shots just dropped—and this thing moves. Steep climbs, sharp drops, and nonstop speed from start to finish. 9 Airtime Moments 4 Different Inversions 5 Head-chopper Effects Only at COTALAND! and here is their update from yesterday, featuring Palindrome: (assuming this is by my friend, Matt Hughey; VP of Park operations) Construction Update! PALINDROME is taking shape — and it’s unlike anything else in the country. This groundbreaking ride will be: The first Infinity Shuttle Coaster in the U.S. The only steel coaster in the country to soar over an active road! Forward. Backward. Gravity-defying in both directions. PALINDROME is built to thrill — and it’s coming only to COTALAND. #COTALAND #Palindrome #InfinityCoaster #comingsoon

I'm more curious to see what will happen with relationships like the one Disney has with Vekoma. That relationship has helped Disney produce some of the best rides we've seen at their parks yet (Expedition Everest, Tron, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, etc) and a change in owners could impact that. We shall see... I think it's safe to add the Guardians coaster to that list as well. We don't know that for sure. Remember, Disney did NOT go with Vekoma for their most recent coaster. Pretty well regarded insiders have confirmed it will be Vekoma. I know it's not official, but unless Disney decides to drop the work they're having Vekoma do and start over with someone else then it's pretty certain. https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/guardians-of-the-galaxy-attraction-confirmed-for-epcot.929265/page-179#post-8032740 https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/guardians-of-the-galaxy-attraction-confirmed-for-epcot.929265/page-220#post-8123320 I put zero stock in any of the Disney fan sites and rumors. They are wrong most of the time. And, to be honest, I laughed out loud at your "Pretty well regarded insiders" statement! BWAHAHAHAHA!!! That right there is s funny crap! Well, to name a few recent things: these are the insiders that knew Avatar was happening a year before the announcement. They knew the ride systems and capacity per hour as well. They said the Speedway wasn't going away well before Tron was announced for MK while every other Disney site was saying it was. And right now, they've mentioned to expect a Gringotts-type ride for the Guardians coaster but without show stops after the launch, heavy possibility of Mary Poppins to the UK Pavilion, and the Brazil pavilion is still moving slowly. Oh and a pre-1994 styled Tomorrowland which is finally getting underway now, over a year and half after they first mentioned it. All of this well before everyones favorite clickbaiter/news stealer gets it. They've been pretty right for several years so I think it's fair to trust them. But that's where I stand and I get that everyone else won't. Excuse me while I roll my eyes the hardest they can possibly roll... This is what I think of your bullshit "insider information." Seriously, it's just so laughable but you don't understand that or why, so please just carry on, it's very amusing to me! “Those who know don't tell and those who tell don't know.”

I'm more curious to see what will happen with relationships like the one Disney has with Vekoma. That relationship has helped Disney produce some of the best rides we've seen at their parks yet (Expedition Everest, Tron, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, etc) and a change in owners could impact that. We shall see... I think it's safe to add the Guardians coaster to that list as well. We don't know that for sure. Remember, Disney did NOT go with Vekoma for their most recent coaster. Pretty well regarded insiders have confirmed it will be Vekoma. I know it's not official, but unless Disney decides to drop the work they're having Vekoma do and start over with someone else then it's pretty certain. https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/guardians-of-the-galaxy-attraction-confirmed-for-epcot.929265/page-179#post-8032740 https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/guardians-of-the-galaxy-attraction-confirmed-for-epcot.929265/page-220#post-8123320 I put zero stock in any of the Disney fan sites and rumors. They are wrong most of the time. And, to be honest, I laughed out loud at your "Pretty well regarded insiders" statement! BWAHAHAHAHA!!! That right there is s funny crap!

I'm more curious to see what will happen with relationships like the one Disney has with Vekoma. That relationship has helped Disney produce some of the best rides we've seen at their parks yet (Expedition Everest, Tron, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, etc) and a change in owners could impact that. We shall see... I think it's safe to add the Guardians coaster to that list as well. We don't know that for sure. Remember, Disney did NOT go with Vekoma for their most recent coaster.