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Skara Sommarland is mostly a waterpark with a handful of amusement rides. So perhaps it's unfair to judge the entire park based on only the dry sections. I'm still going to, though. 17: How You Do Anything Is How You Do Everything Skara Sommarland is owned by Parks & Resorts Scandinavia (which itself is entirely owned by the Tidstrand family). Also owned by this group is Kolmården Zoo, Furuvik, and Gröna Lund--all of which we will be visiting on this trip. Fun fact: Skara actually means to cut, slit, carve, or reap. But only if you put that little o-thing above the first A, and your name is Barry. Bad joke, or ominous foreshadowing? Why not both?! On the right is Snake (or something), the ride that was temporarily at Gröna Lund when we were there in 2019, now seemingly in its permanent home. The ride on the left is the reason to visit Skara Sommarland, Tranan (or, "The Crane.") I was quite excited to try this ride. It just looks so weird, and maybe fun? And it is weird. Fun? Well, not especially. I mean, it's okay. It's hard to describe, really. To the point where I'm not able to even declare it good or bad. Let's start with the seating. The sides of the cars are quite low, the seatbacks are quite low, and you're secured by a seatbelt. Now, I'm 100% certain that seatbelt is enough to keep you in, but it sure doesn't feel like it. There's also quite a lot of metal near your knees and legs, giving you both a mental reason and a physical reason to hold on and brace yourself for dear life. Which is work, and distracting, in a way that detracts from the ride--at least, for me. And yet, I'm extremely glad I got to ride it. Because I'm sure if someone had told me that I actually wouldn't like it all that much, I would be skeptical. You don't know me! I'm contrarian! And it looks super-cool! It also only does its big trick (of spinning all the way around the track) one time. I'd be interested in riding a bigger version of this. Something with larger, more graceful elements. Because a lot of the turns are quite crunchy. But, then again, who would pay for a larger one when the prototype is so...unconvincing? Not my photo. Plucked from the group chat. Sorry person I'm failing to credit. Andy, maybe? Or Elissa? Anyway, it's a ride. Which sounds like an insult, but isn't really, except in that I was hoping that it would be really cool, and it's just kind of...strange. This seems like a trap. Unlike the "Taco Loco" in the background, which seems totally legit. Speaking of lunch. Warning: The above image may not be suitable for all audiences. Oh. I probably should've put that before the photo. Anyway. The park was quite eager to show off their new bumpercar ride, BadringsBumpers. Whereas I am surprisingly unashamed to show off Robb's "crotch cam." Most of the smaller, older rides are in this area--which maybe used to be its own thing? Like, a separate gate or something? No idea. Regardless, it's a rides midway. I should've just said that. I call it: Doesn't Work Land! The entrance to the park's powered coaster. It was working here, but I don't have any photos of the train, because when I went back to ride it, it was down. And it stayed down. I think until we left? Definitely for quite awhile, as I checked back a couple of times. A Rockin' Tug. It did not run, that I saw. Closed troika-type ride, with permanently sealed off swinging ship in the background (that had a sign saying that it had failed its inspection for the year, or some such?) Unattended game. I'm sure it's fine. This did open later, but the course was quite short, mostly unthemed, and people were coming soaked, so I passed. Pretty sure the vehicles were the best thing about it. I do love a good bridge. No idea if this is one, as it's permanently blocked off. But my statement still stands. What do you think of this park, Smisty? Go on, Bert, don't be scared. Put it in your mouth. The park had a train, and it was working. However, we were accosted by this street urchin begging for money. No, just kidding. He wanted drugs, actually. Apparently, Barry had gotten a splinter in his foot at the waterpark. A splinter. Part of the waterpark, as seen from the train. Yep. Yep, I'm good. A lone bit of incongruous theming, behind a fence? Outside of the park, maybe? No idea. Did you see how close Daniel got to the train, though? What's the concern with the dinosaur figure?! R-A-D-I-O-B-I-L-A-R-N-A What is this, some kind of bumpercar-lover's park? Is this a ride, or...? The spin mouse had been down all morning, so all the coaster nerds rushed over once it started testing. It ran a few cycles, and then a car got stuck on the block brake. The maintenance guys came out, released the brake, and then sped off. No testing, no empty cars. The very next car got stuck in the same place. Smisty says nope. (For clarity, I am not accusing anyone of unsafe practices. But just assuming everything will be fine after a quick reset does strike me as a bad look.) It's worth noting that for all the rides that were broken down or not operating, the most important one (Tranan) seemed like it ran pretty consistently all day. So that was good. Ooh, a crooked house or something! Wait a minute..."Miniradiobilarna"? Yeah, it's just more bumpercars. The Main Street Janitorial Parade A poncho with a map of the park on it? That's pretty cool. Except they were only for kids. And the image was blurry. But at least they're honestly named. It's probably not a great park if you're that excited to get back on the bus. Erik's Score: 1 Sorry, Skara Sommarland. It's not you, it's me. I'm sure others in our group probably liked you a lot more. Well, maybe not Barry. Arriving at the Backstage Hotel in Stockholm. This is where Misty and I stayed for a few extra nights after the official end of the 2019 trip--except then it was called the Pop House Hotel. We really loved the city, and were quite happy with our choice of accommodation, so it was nice to be back. They may have changed their name, and rearranged the lobby area a bit, but it's still houses the ABBA Museum, and it's still right next door to Gröna Lund. Our room for the next few nights. We might've checked out the ABBA Museum (even though we went last time) or done something else for the evening, but Gröna Lund had a better idea.... Surprise night ERT on Monster! We got to tour this underground station in 2019 while it was under construction. Turned out great! Not my photo, to be sure. Robb's. I will of course share more detailed thoughts about Monster when the proper Gröna Lund update comes around. But this was a great night! Next up: A park that no one in our group had ever been to!

THANK you for not including a pic of the "Splinter"! (and no, I won't be including it either when I get to this park) hell. . I might just point to your report here, as you summed up EXACTLY my thoughts on Tranan - and I thought it was just me. I couldn't enjoy the weirdness of it, because I felt so unsafe with the low sides and just a seat belt).

^ and ^^ I'm trying to be 'constant' with this site, as (all others aside) it is my Main Theme Park/Coaster Site. I appreciate what Robb and Elissa have done with the site thru the years, whether it's testing out new stuff online, announcements, and accurate postings. I think some (most?) people who are on here, aren't really interested in posting, as much as I think they should be. But, what can ya do? Also, I am 70+ years old, and I'll be damned in finding another site for this info., photos, videos of, etc.! I've been a member since 2005. What else can I say? This is my social media. My "rant" look. Final night of TPR 2012 China/HongKong Tour - HKDL

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to visit Hawaii for the first time! While our main reason for going was a friend's wedding, we turned it into a trip to check off some bucket list items. Our first stop was The Big Island with the goal of visiting Volcanoes National Park and taking a night snorkel with manta rays... Landing at the airport on The Big Island was a surreal experience. The airport is small and almost entirely outdoors. You walk to and from the planes from the ground and your board/debark via small gangways. Funny enough, the first thought I had walking around the airport upon arrival was that this gave off old school SeaWorld Orlando vibes. If you know, you know. The EPCOT fan in me was highly amused by seeing wall carpet somewhere not at EPCOT. Our hotel, the Hilton Waikoloa Village is made up of several towers each about 10-20 minutes' walking distance apart (depending on your pace and if you have luggage in tow). To solve that, the resort has an automated tram/train that runs between the towers. I'd never seen anything like this outside of an airport or Walt Disney World, so naturally I was enamored. My first Mai Tai of the trip, but certainly not my last! While dinner wasn't anything unique (we ended up at the hotel's Italian restaurant due to the hour at which we were dining), this Calamansi Tart was authentic and delicious! Fair warning for those who haven't been to Hawaii before and are used to other tourism/resort destinations. Along our entire trip in Hawaii we found that most dining venues started to wind down operations between 7 pm and 9 pm. So if you plan to have a full day of activities, make sure you plan for where you could have dinner or else you might be enjoying limited fare at the bar or less exciting quick service or grab and go fare. The next day we got up ridiculously early to make the 1.5 hour drive from one side of The Big Island to the other to get to Volcanoes National Park. Thankfully the Waikoloa Village Starbucks was open and even better, it was a Starbucks Reserve location! We made it to Volcanoes National Park at 7:00 AM and had a half day allotted to see as much as possible before making the drive back to the other side of the island for our manta ray night snorkel. The National Park has awesome signage at the welcome station that helps you to plan for shorter visits or longer visits, prioritizing the main attractions in a reasonable order for visitors like us who wouldn't know where to start. Also recommended, speaking to National Park guides who can make recommendations on where to go and how best to get there. With our limited time, our first priority was seeing lava. While there was fortunately an eruption going on during our visit, it was unfortunately a very small one with very limited options for viewing. It was highly recommended that we return that night to see the caldera lit up from the lava, but with our existing snorkel commitment that wasn't an option. One guide recommended we follow the Crater Rim Trail as it would be the best spot that we could see the lava at this hour. The view from here is expansive for sure. LAVA! You don't see scenery like this every day! I wish we could have seen more lava but I was glad we at least saw this. And a lucky rainbow for good measure! For those of you interested in these kinds of things. Next we started our long trek down to walk near the caldera... Along the way you see a variety of unique landscapes and plant life that feel otherworldly. Mind the sinkholes. Very unique. Real lava rock found on the trail. There's a local superstition that you do not bring lava rock home with you from Hawaii as it will bring bad luck that can only be ended by returning what you took. As tempting as it is to bring home a unique souvenir, out of respect to the island and its culture, don't do it. Proof I was actually here! Like we're on another planet. After our two hour roundtrip hike to/from the caldera we moved next to the lava tube. While not as big as we expected, this was still a neat experience. Our last stop before heading out were the sulphur vents. And the look much better than they smell. The lengthy drive back had us crossing mountainous terrain and having to control the brakes hard to ensure that gravity didn't take control. But the views were unreal! Before our snorkel we had a little time to kill so we stopped by the Kona Brewing Co. Brewery & Pub. As it turned out this would be our final experience on The Big Island, as an unexpected storm filled with high winds, lightning and rain resulted in our night snorkel with manta rays being cancelled. We had some drinks at the Kona Brewery and made our way back to the hotel to get ready to fly to Honolulu the next day... It should be noted that the Hilton Waikoloa Village also has boating excursions that take you along the waterways of the resort. Just such a cool setup! Wouldn't be a visit to Hawaii without seeing some of these in the wild. The next morning's grab and go breakfast at the airport was fried rice with Portuguese sausage and a fried egg on top. And it was honestly delicious! Time to fly to Honolulu! So our first day at Aulani was kind of a cheat day... When we originally planned our trip to only be in Honolulu we booked two nights at Aulani (for three days at the resort) but when we added The Big Island to our itinerary, we also added another day in Honolulu. We couldn't add an additional night at Aulani on the front end so we ended up at the Marriott Vacation Club Ko Olina (which was an awesome resort on its own) but spent much of our day visiting the neighboring Aulani because we simply couldn't wait another day. I mean, could you blame us? We certainly didn't plan it this way, but our cheat day at Aulani also happened to be a day that they were taping performances for American Idol. Love it! Very cool! Everyone raves about these... I'd be back to try some later in the trip. I would definitely be back to try these! This was actually the second time I was present for a taping of American Idol, having been in the audience for a taping in Los Angeles in 2003. Ulu Cafe, the resort's quick service venue, would end up being our favorite dining option at Aulani. And this build-your-own poke bowl option would definitely be the reason! I might have had three of these throughout the course of our visit... I might have. Over at the Wailana Pool Bar we had tuna poke nachos... And crab rangoon! That was the end of our time at Aulani for the day but we'd move into our room at the resort the next day. It felt absolutely important for us to visit Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial during our time in Honolulu. Out of respect for those lost, their families and the experience I won't share any photos beyond these but I strongly recommend visiting if you're ever in Honolulu. This is a sobering reminder of a critical moment in history and the experience is well curated and honoring of those impacted. We returned to the Marriott Vacation Club Ko Olina for a restful evening but couldn't help but admire this sunset. Stunning. Any day that ends with pie (from Monkeypaw) is a good day!

Oh, no, you're not getting off that easy! I expect a full report!

HOOOOLLLYY SHIT! Severely strained MCL and bruised bone. It likely will not heal on its own for a long time, so I got a steroid shot in my knee, I'm prescribed anti inflammatory medications for ten days, and a healthy dose of physical therapy. I can get on my skates in as early as a week, as long as I take it easy... which is going to be difficult with my personality. The doctor told me it looks like I dodged a bullet. He said it pretty much just wasn't healing on its own and that when it finally did, my muscles would have been imbalanced unless corrected with a longer period of physical therapy than I have now. That horse needle on that massive shot tho... holy shit. I took it like a boss though. I called off work tonight since I'm supposed to take it easy for the rest of the day. My Lieutenant didn't give a shit. He was just happy I won't be out for six months. Hopefully, I'll feel strong on my skates again soon. I'm very relieved and thankful. It makes me realize at nearly forty years out that I need to dial it back a little. This could have been much worse.

I heard rumors that Sandy's was actually open last week for a few days, but it looks like it's already closed again. I hate this place. I want to love it... I really, really, really do and on the 6 days per year where most of the good rides are open it's actually fun but I've never ever seen such a dumpster fire.

It was ironic that the one reliable ride was the goofy S&S prototype (well, along with the train and the snake).

I hope it rattles and is uncomfortable as hell, just to piss enthusiasts off. At the same time, I hope the general public likes it that way, which will also piss enthusiasts off. At the very least, let's cross our fingers that it's "accommodating for large riders," so we don't have to read Facebook comments from people who binge eat while binge streaming bitch about how "only 'skinny' people can ride."

You are correct. I'm not even convinced that this thing is opening next year, and if it does I would expect it to be open somewhere around mid-to-late Holiday in the Park.

The forums are dying and that makes me sad.

Took a quick spin through the park last night, mostly so family could see some of the holiday stuff. Obviously, the park was very busy, and we knew that getting on/in any of the attractions would be out of the question. The walkways were mostly accessible with just a few areas of heavy congestion. The curfew was in effect, which is always a good thing. It was also very cool to see Xcelerator finally back up and running again. Lines were pretty much all spilling out into the walkways, with bigger attractions averaging 120-180 minutes. I'm preaching to the choir here, but the week after xmas remains the craziest time to attend.

Surprised that this hasn't been posted yet, but Cedar Point posted Episode 7 of their "Pit Stop" construction series: Awesome to see them already testing the system and that we're already clearing the top hat even in the cold temperatures. Love that they decided to post some POV footage as well.

Not sure where else to vent so I thought I would come here. IN a nutshell, had a women of color call me a wt (whitey) on Facebook since I replaced the previous TWO men of color in a job that they were not qualified to do. And she is ALWAYS playing the race card at every opportunity. Not sure what to do with this veiled racist jab at me.