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Six Flags today. With a two-year-old. (almost) Antique cars: ate shit, right? Ferris Wheel: closed. great Carousel: Literally has been being refurbished since my child was within her mother. Shows? Nope. I had no idea the other kids rides had little to no height limits, as long you ride with an adult. At 33" tall we did the boat thing, the balloon thing, the rocket ship thing, the little train thing, and she did the small swings thing. We rode the "big train" she's obsessed with. She was pretty stoked when she yelled "Easter Bunny" and pointed to a statue. I didn't have the heart to tell her it was only Bugs Bunny, so I let her touch it as per her request. (All rabbits have graduated to the Easter Bunny title, in her book, since Easter.) I saw like.. some flowers for the spring thing they have going on. The chicken strips were just out of this world amazing the best chicken strips I've ever had. (Six Flag Corporate's big idea to turn the chain around.) Xcaliber was closed, which would have been cool for my kid to watch... cool. Antique cars and carousel tho... She had a blast, which is all that matters. But... only 3 more inches until it's worth going somewhere else... When we rode the train we saw Hurricane Harbor. Man, it just looks like it's in tip-top shape... They're going all out on the Six Flags New Orleans theming. Our daughter doesn't know the difference, which is all that matters. She rode the "big girl rides" in my book. She even rode the kiddie swings by herself, which was the first of three attempts since she's been on this planet. The most disappointing part of the trip was her wanting to ride Boomerang. As such, we had a blast... and we'll be back to "wide wides" later this year. As an adult, I'm looking forward to seeing the new Eagle area and ride. Although, I doubt we'll go alone anytime within the coming years to experience it. Seriously though... fix the fucking Merry-Go-Round. I'm sure it will be fantastic when the ride is finished, but it really is inexcusable at this point. Sincerely, Karen's Husband

Cirque du Soleil ~ ALEGRIA ~ Friday, April 22/22. We took a taxi downtown to the Cirque chapiteau (i.e. tent), and several minutes later, we were having our "VIP Experience" there. Separate entrance for us, food, food, food everywhere, and an open bar too! There were also separate bathrooms for us, and a lovely outdoor patio-style for us to enjoy. Which we did, pretty much all the time we were there, before the show started. And we were there during Intermission as well. It was so laid back, I kept wondering if this was the way to do, from now on. "VIP" I mean. And during the time we were there, everybody was so happy for us and our Anniversary, spending it with them! All the crowd there got free programmes and a very unique umbrella, when we left. But for us, somebody was kind enough to put a HUGE swag bag together for us! Which included the CD soundtrack, a DVD of the original 1994 production (filmed in Australia), t-shirts, coffee mugs .... we figured we had been given over $200 worth of souvenirs! Sweet. Obviously we couldn't take photos of the show itself, so these are all pre-show shots in the VIP "tent." And the souvenirs we got. We wore our "Happy Masks" to the show, but didn't need them once there. Here we are! Sponsorship wall. Where we're heading to. A closer look, before we went inside. Not sunlight, but a light from below Downtown is so close to us, here. David getting his first cocktail (of several we had). And if not finished, we could take our drinks with us for the show! Like I said ... a lot - of - food for us! Including this wonderful soup they were serving, besides all the appetizers. What we started with. To be sure, we went back for more, and during Intermission as well. A really nice outdoor patio area created for us. And not many went out here. Most stayed inside. Silly VIP-ers. Two cast members came to visit, for photos with us. Hot Pink Lights on = Time for us all to head into the Grand Chapiteau, for the show! Our view from our seats. Pardon the fuzzy shot. Souvenirs 'R Us! The bag had the original Alegria logo and image on it - and the current one on the reverse side. Programme, CD, and DVD of the 1994 show. I already had the original DVD, so I may gift this one to a friend. Mug left, cold ~ Mug right, hot coffee in it. Kewl! And the t-shirt which pretty much says it all, about LIVE stage shows, now getting back to business of touring etc. Thanks for all of it Cirque!

Yeah from the highway it took us about 40 min to get parked, and then another 20 min to get through security/gate. If I didn't have Fastlane I woulda turned around lol lines aren't bad with FL+. Starbucks and the muskoga burger place were a shit show. I rode Leviathan twice and Wilde Beast before my wife even got her drink and they ran out of stuff and were giving attitude. At Muskoga, after waiting 30 min to order a burger, then an additional 30 to get the burger, they said they ran out of beef and it would be another 30 min. So people just took chicken or impossible burgers because there is no way anyone was waiting any longer than an hour. I enjoyed my cider and the impossible burger wasn't that bad. In line for Yukon Striker front row line with FL+. More than 90 min in standard queue, about 15 with FL. Great weather and definitely enjoying myself. I haven't been to a park in a long while so it's good to be back. Food service to be expected on their "opening day" but just informing everyone Also nobody appears to be directing people to the real entrance of Yukon Striker everyone is thinking the single rider is the real line that is overflowing onto the midway. And to add extra insult tons of empty seats going out. I'm sure they'll get in their groove soon, but, eek.

Front row, lean forward? at opening day the parking lot is full to the parking booths any other day i would turn around a nd leave it looks like they painted leviathan!

If both Chapek gets replaced and DeSantis loses in November because of this then it will be considered a win-win for everyone.

Herschend parks as well. Love it.

So a park in another country, not even at the edge of the border, near a major Canadian city, sees more foreign visitors than Canadians? Curious where you got that stat from... -- anyways, yeah, what Johnlloyd said. Anyways... back to Kings Island... and editing my post...

If by "Pledge of Allegiance" you mean "National Anthem," then yes, as does every Cedar Fair park I've been to.

This is frustrating because this topic actually is relevant and it would be interesting to be be able to discuss the logistics of it and predictions on how it will play out but it's 2022. It's now absolutely impossible for grown adults to have this conversation without aggressively injecting their own political views into it to the point where it turns into a flame war within like 3 posts.

Where to even start with this incoherent word salad post. It DOES affect everyone. I am one of its employees, and for the past 23 YEARS I have been paid more to work there than if I decided to work anywhere else. I also live in Orange County, and I cannot afford a $2000-4000 tax bill JUST because #DeathSantis hates gay people. That's what this all boils down to. He wants to grab as much power as possible and does not care who he hurts in the process. I am hoping that Disney with its massive wealth and power does not blink and instead supports whoever runs against this lunatic. This meme sums it up perfectly:

Purely theater, and its working. They cant repeal it without majority approval of the districts residents, who are all Disney employees. Then Orange and Osceola counties would assume their debt and have to raise taxes. Thats not gonna fly with those residents either.

I've been following this. It's such an incredibly short-sighted move (to say anything further would get too political). Disney isn't the only "special district" this will affect, and we'll see how the municipal and state budgets like covering all of the infrastructure costs that those districts used to cover themselves. If this stands up to court scrutiny, anyway, which I'm not 100% sure it will.

Uhhh... Wut? That's like saying nobody eats at the Chick-fil-A at Cedar Point or King's Island because they charge double a normal one. Yet it typically has just as long of a line as Maverick next door, lol. Not many people leave the park to eat. It's more convenient to pay an extra $6 than to leave the park, for most (not all) people.

Who knew you could make a 5 min sketch about Mr Six in 2022?

Weather was indeed perfect. Couldn't have been better, if anything got too warm! Was a good day. I got to Pantheon I think 4th train of the day, was fun but won't lie a tad less than expected. Was expecting a little more punch to it. Good speed and everything about it was good guess just expected a bit more. Line was already mammoth when I got off so I figured I'll give it some time to warm up, I'll try to do all the rest of the park, and deal with whatever wait is needed to ride Pantheon for a long while. Well, by the time I got back to it Pantheon was down, apparently it went down around 1/1:30 and it remained so all day Even took a break from the heat and waited near the station for 2 hours but no luck. They could get two tests in before some "error" kept coming up. Very unfortunate, but what can ya do? Was able to get more rides of others at least. Speaking of: -Tempesto: Very fun I love these rides but ofc knew what to expect. -Apollo's Chariot: Better than expected. Not mind blowing but fun and the air was just enough -Alpengeist: Wow, why do I not hear of this one much? This was sick, VERY forceful and intense, long ride. Didn't find it rough, though from the ride itself was a little jarring, 2 rides was plenty. -Griffon: Deff the best B&M dive I've done and honestly pretty solid. -Verbolten: which I realize was my 200th coaster! This is surprisingly fun, I did not expect this ride to be so good. -Loch Ness Monster: I mean....yeah.... iconic, helluva sight, but well, it's not the worst arrow looper out there I guess I can say -InvadR: So this was late in the day, 8:15ish and front row so maybe that all helped but this was shockingly fun. Good whip and some very solid air. A little bummed but overall very good day

"Pointlessness: The Ride."

Ugh, I hope not. With how crazy multi-launch coasters have gotten, not to mention Pantheon being literally RIGHT THERE, Drachen Spire looks extremely uninspired.

Busch Gardens has released info about this year's Food and Wine Festival. All-New Tastes to Savor and Thrills to Explore at Busch Gardens Williamsburg during Virginia’s Largest Spring Food & Wine Festival Beginning April 28 100+ international tastes and sips to savor, inspired by cultures around the world 30+ new culinary offerings plus all-new menus inspired by Australia & Greece Live local music & entertainment every weekend Two new premier beverage experiences now open year-round This spring, new flavors and thrills are in bloom at Busch Gardens Williamsburg with the return of the park’s fan-favorite Food & Wine Festival. With more than 30 delicious NEW dishes to pair with cocktails, wines, and craft brews, park guests can explore flavors for all tastes at 15 globally inspired food and beverage locations. Guests can create the perfect pairing by enjoying live, local entertainment and rides on their favorite thrills, including the all-new Pantheon the world’s fastest multi-launch coaster. The Food & Wine Festival runs Thursdays through Sundays from April 28 to June 12, plus Memorial Day. This year, guests can take a trip down under at the ALL-NEW Australia Food & Wine location. Featuring decadent dishes like the Snag on the Barbie, a banger sausage with vegemite caramelized onions and Lamington Cake, a sponge cake with raspberry jam, chocolate and coconut. These dishes pair best with the Aussie Mule or Foster’s®, an Australian-made beer. The global flavors continue with more ALL-NEW tasty bites and beverages, including items inspired by the following countries: New Location! Greece: Travel to the coastlines of Greece with authentic dishes like the Tirokroketes, fried cheese balls with tzatziki sauce and the Choriatiki Salata, a traditional Greek salad with feta, cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes, and olives. New items! Japan: Tastebuds are transformed with the Impossi-Bao, Impossible® meat in a steamed bun topped with Asian slaw and the Spicy Tuna Sushi Cup, sushi rice with nori flakes, tuna, & spicy mayo. New items! Italy: Sip on Luna Nuda and Roscato, red wines straight from the vines of Italy, while enjoying Fettuccini & Sundried Tomato Alfredo with house made pasta, spinach and kalamata olives. Enjoy brews and bites from close to home at Virginia, featuring items from across the Old Dominion. New for this year, guests can indulge in an Oyster on the Half Shell, complete with mignonette, cocktail sauce & lemon. Feeling adventurous? Add a shot of moonshine and make it an Oyster Shooter. These Virginia-inspired dishes are paired with local beer and wine, including the new Petit Manseng from the Williamsburg Winery. A complete menu of the Food & Wine Festival dishes and drinks can be found online. The best way to sip and sample is with a Food & Wine Festival sampler lanyard. Guests can embark on their culinary journey and save 10 percent with a 10-sample lanyard starting at only $59.00 or extend the savings up to 20 percent with the fan-favorite 15-sampler. In addition to the Food & Wine festivities, beer, wine and cocktail lovers can indulge year-round at two new beverage locations, BarKastle and La Belle Wine Bar. Located in France, La Belle offers deluxe wines by the glass or bottle, ranging from sparkling to sweet and everything in between. Cocktail connoisseurs can visit BarKastle in Oktoberfest and partake in cocktails on tap, including the all-new Curse of BarKastle Daiquiri, spiked lemonade and more. The new bar also features frozen cocktails and local craft brews.

What Have the Roman Gods Wrought? Some Thoughts on and Photos of Pantheon Sing to me, o muse, of Busch Gardens Williamsburg and its tribute to the majesty of the Roman gods! Swift Mercury of the winged feet! Minerva, whose wisdom and beauty shamed the rosy fingered dawn! Neptune, master of the wine dark sea! Pluto, the sinister lord of the Underworld! And Mighty Jupiter, father of the gods and the most powerful of all! OK, my knowledge of classical poetry is a bit rusty, so I think I'll stick to regular old prose now. Pantheon, Busch Gardens' new multi-launch coaster, opened to the public on Friday, March 25. Well, "officially" opened following a few weekends of previews for Busch Gardens member passholders. I rode it three times during those preview days--front, middle, and back. The verdict: It's a very good ride that's finally brought some nice Intamin ejector air to the Williamsburg park. Here are a few thoughts: For me, the backseat is the best place to ride most coasters, and Pantheon is no exception. The ejector airtime is more pronounced, and when you go backward up that spike (excuse me, "Neptune's Trident"), it's pretty hair raising looking straight down. That being said, the front seat offers a great ride too--especially when it comes to the hangtime through the inversions. The initial launch into an inversion is a great beginning, and the weird outward-banked bit just before the brake run is a good finish. I like the outward-banked turn near over the banks of the Rhine River, too. I wish the Rhine River Cruise was operating, as you can get some good views of Pantheon from down there. The station is rather small for such a big coaster. The queue is a bit odd, too. The ride is susceptible to windy conditions; that is, they'll suspend operations during gusty days until things die down. Although this isn't a "top 10" ride for me, it could find a place in my "top 25." My first ride was in a middle seat during a cold day, and the coaster seemed a bit sluggish. But when I rode it on a warmer day in the back and front seats, I thought, "This is more like it." Let's have a look at Pantheon. This rather threatening sign shows you the way to Pantheon in Festa Italia. Those who would ride Pantheon must get past this imposing iron monster! (Fortunately, that's pretty easy to do.) Here's what you'll be getting yourself into. You can put your bags in the lockers on the left. There is a wire basket on the station for smaller loose objects. I think you can wear glasses on Pantheon as long as you have sport straps for them (they've been getting stricter about glasses on coasters this year.) After you leave the station, Winged Mercury gives you a nice launch through this inversion, which I think has something to do with Minerva. Perhaps Minerva, in her wisdom, is preparing you for what's to come. Come on, Mercury! You can do it!! Oops! Big raspberry from Jupiter, try again. Fortunately, Neptune is there to help with his trident. Jupiter says, "Greetings, mortal fools!" Yep--nice pop of air in the back seat here, as the train just makes it over the hill. Pantheon: Hi, Tempesto! Tempesto: Back at ya, new kid! Here's part of what Pluto has in store for you after your initial plunge. "Nice view . . . aghh! What the hell?" You can get a good view of this element from the bridge between Italy and Germany. It's such a weird (but cool) feeling as you lean toward the river. Tempesto: Hi, Loch Ness Monster. Loch Ness Monster: Best returns of the day to ye, laddie--as long as ye show proper respect to your elders." Verbolten: Ach! don't mind him, Pantheon. Those old Arrow coasters are always grouchy. Congratulations, mortals! Your quest is at an end! And that's a wrap from Pantheon. Get out to Virginia and ride it, lest your cowardice anger the gods! Thanks for reading.

Honestly the complete dippy derps that pay $200+ for a plastic popcorn bucket deserve to get fleeced.

Disney can leave if they dont like it and can sell all their parks to CF SixFlags SeaWorld Parque Reunidos - all who would die to have the Magic Kingdom et al maybe not epcot lol Disney isnt going anywhere and I doubt DeSantis cares that the most liberal counties in Florida will be forced to pay more in taxes. Its similar to what Trump did with I think healthcare? which ended up making blue states pay more. That is skillfull manouvering. I know that my taxes in New Jersey went up while my taxes in Louisiana were cut in half. AFAIK disney doesnt even pay its employees well so its not like the jobs lost will be valuable ones. I think most people were stunned that disney had the ability to not report rapes and murders in the improvement district. Im sure conspiracy theorists are losing their minds over that. My sister and Brother in law have season passes to disney world and own a home in Orlando specifically so they can spend weeks at Disney. they havent even mentioned this because they do not care. My BIL is the disney customer, he loves spending on experiences for his kids. Again, they havent even mentioned this nobody has a problem with what happened. Only corporate bootlickers could really be mad. Corporations are getting too powerful and finally someone is stopping the madness. Me to Disney;