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^ One thing I'd disagree with. Monte wasn't unpopular. It always had a line, and I definitely enjoyed it at the park. It has been and will be "sorely missed!"

At the beginning of these trips, Smisty and I generally keep to ourselves, snarling and hissing at anyone who tries to talk to us. But, by the end, we usually loosen up and have learned the names of two or sometimes even three of our fellow travelers. I tell you this because I feel like the following trip report contains a slightly higher percentage of photos with other trip participants in it than I normally post--and also because I like writing a few sentences before the title. 22: The Happiest People in the World The "main" entrance to PowerPark. Look, don't worry about what the sign says. Nothing here makes sense. This park has two Gerstlauer infinity coasters, with the same color scheme, and the same trains, right next to each other. It's such a weird move that I actually love it. But I'm an enthusiast. I can't believe it's really a good idea when it comes to the general public, though: "Did you go on the green one?" "No, I don't like going upside down." "Dude, it didn't go upside down." "Shut your human face, garbage man. It most certainly did do the loop-de-loops!" "Wait...you went to PowerPark, right?" "Nah, bro, Powerland." "Apologies, sauce nugget. The fool is I." "No concerns, home entertainment system. Let us go have a milkshake and a game of chess." This is Junker. Everyone loved it. Well....almost everyone. Of course, I also had no idea what had just happened, because they wouldn't let me wear my glasses. So there's that. When my dog wants to leave the dog park, he goes and sits by the gate. Anyway, here's Misty having a sit by the Mexican restaurant sign. It was a buffet, where you try to make tacos out of whatever weird things the Finns think seem Mexican. It was okay, but mostly because I'm awesome. I tried to order the fanciest ice cream concoction on the menu, but ended up with the most basic one. Bit of a language barrier problem, I fear. Or maybe the girl just didn't like me. Hard to say. But what I can say is that "happiest" is not the same thing as "friendliest." This is the Kwai Bridge. Well, not *the* Kwai Bridge, I suppose. Just Powerland's version of it. Also pictured is Kwai River, which travels on the bridge. At least, for some of it. Look, it'll make more sense in the next photo. It really doesn't. But I'll try to explain: The super flume leaves the station, travels along the bridge for a bit, then dives under the bridge, makes a sharp right, and then drops again. It's kind of like a double down with a curve in the middle. It's pretty fun, but what it has to do with a bridge across a river in Indonesia and/or the associated 1957 academy award winning film is beyond me. Wait... Junker, Pitts Special, River Kwai...is this park secretly themed to World War 2? How wet is the flume ride? Well, that depends. Are you one of 6 Americans who decided to ride together? You may have noticed a wooden coaster in the background of a couple of the previous photos. That would be Thunderbird. While smooth, there was no airtime to be found. Of course, it was just me and Goldballs in the front of one of the first trains of the day, so it probably wasn't running at its fastest. It's worth mentioning that between the brake run and the station is a 180-degree turn and the transfer track. It takes approximately the same length of time to traverse these two sections as it does to do the entire rest of the ride. Which is to say that it's laughably slow. But, hey, it made me laugh. Bert and Smisty were on the train behind us. They got stuck on the brakes. Which is doubly hilarious when you realize that once their train got moving again, it still had to do the turn and transfer track. What must they have thought during that? While I didn't get any good photos, quite a few rides in the park have signs that basically say, "Hey, when this ride breaks down, just sit tight. Help is on the way." Which I found quite amusing. Oh, a fun house! Themed to construction workers...? Alright, sure. This spinning tunnel really should've been made to look like a cement mixer in some way. Come on, guys. Wait, what is Bert taking a photo of? (For the record, I did not mean that last caption literally.) Anyway, it's not Gröna Lund, but it is a fun house. So...yay! Here's something Gröna Lund doesn't have: a large forested troll village that was used to film a movie! Sure, you've never heard of that movie. But nevertheless. Smisty posing with Rölli the Troll (who is not, in fact, a troll...don't ask) and Mormon Zelda, who may or may not be a fair forest maiden, or rather an effeminate man. I did not see any signage indicating that you *couldn't* lay on the bed. I mean, I didn't. But just know that, in America, we call that an invitation. "By my dirty toes!" That's Rölli's catchphrase. Yes, seriously. Oh, an actual Technical Park ride! How exciting! You guys have fun! They said it was good. They're idiots. It's like Legoland except everything is made out of weird. Hawk & Doug having just enjoyed Neo's Twister. I'm not sure who Neo is, but the ride has a split lift and spun me whilst air-timing me into that metal seat divider bar in a way that was painfully funny. So, new mouse manufacturer credit for me here in Fabbri. The paradox of making a thing totally insane by trying to make it make sense. I nearly didn't ride Pitts Special because I didn't really like Junker, don't much care for Gerstlauer Eurofighters/Infinity Coasters anyway, can't stand vertical lifts, figured that I wouldn't be able to wear my glasses on this one either, and others in the group said this was rougher. But I really liked the look of the layout and was intrigued by the lack of inversions, so I gave it a shot. And, yes, I liked it much more than Junker. There was one fairly nasty jolt about halfway through, but beyond that I wouldn't call it rough, it had some nice airtime, and yeah...I just really liked the layout (other than the lift). "Enjoyable ride that gives you tickles you tummy with its' whirling and up-and-down motion. Fun and suitable for all!" [sic] [sick] Joyride. Also known as, the coaster this park chose to put VR goggles on for a couple of years until everyone came to their collective senses. A view from the Ferris wheel. Note the Road House in the upper left of the photo. Also note the Frisbee thing that slices through a house. Also note the mini golf course and the small yellow and green ride that's kind of like a spinning ball bit but is sadly only for children. Just note everything. Seems dirty. Inside the restaurant that the outside of was in the background of the previous photo. Sometimes I can't tell if English is nonsense or I just don't know how to use it. By the time we got to this area of the park, this was closed for the day. Which is a shame. I mean, I wouldn't have ridden it, as I rather enjoy having two eyes--but I would've liked to have watched other people fall off of it. Ah yes, the Devil's Mine Hotel. So...is it a hotel in a mine? Or a mine in a hotel? And the devil owns both of them? This dark ride is interesting in that every successful shot scores (only) one point, you have a limited number of shots (which is fairly high, but you can still run out if you just go crazy), and at one point (for no discernible reason and seemingly connected to nothing) you come around a corner and are greeted by an audio recording of Jim Carrey saying, "Alrighty then!" Regular animals *and* dinosaurs, but for some reason you're not allowed to take photos on this ride? The day was winding down and the park was getting ready to close. Which meant ERT on Junker for most of the group. But we wanted to play their mini golf course. Each hole had two suggested "solutions," one easy and one difficult. This proved to be rather misleading though, as almost every hole was quite difficult regardless of approach. Quite a pleasing course visually, though. And not without little challenges. Mini golf conquered (or at least survived), it was back to the Road House for dinner. Wait, what? As "Junker" looked unavailable, we ate at Boulevard Bistro, which was pretty good. certainly better than the food that had been available in the park. And this "brezel" ( a cross between a breeze and an Edsel?) belongs on the trip's Mount Dessertmore. Such a weird park. But, hey, it's me. Score: 9

We actually didn't ride it...because you told us they wouldn't let you take photos!

Following our character breakfast at Makahiki it was time to enjoy a full day of resort fun at Aulani including characters, water activities and a bit of food. Quite the view. Hi Elissa! I love that Angel is a featured character at Aulani! Menehune Bridge is the resort's water play area which is a bit larger than you'll find at the other Disney resorts. Rainbow Reef is the resort's 3,800 square foot saltwater snorkeling lagoon, available to experience for an upcharge. Fans of Disney's Typhoon Lagoon will remember Shark Reef, which offered a similar snorkeling experience. Equipment is provided before you enter the water and then you can walk in. Fair warning: This water is exceptionally cold so the amount of time you'll want to stay in may vary depending on personal preference. If you take the time to look for more than just the fish in Rainbow Reef, you'll find some hidden creatures in the rockwork. We opted for our own snorkel masks which allowed us to see more clearly in all of our snorkeling activities. And yes, there are fish in here. The location of Rainbow Reef is quite picturesque. When we were done we figured we would enjoy the Aulani Resort Beach at Ko Olina Lagoon. A unique vantage point... Next up was the Waikolohe Stream, the resort's lazy river. It even goes through a cave with a few water and lighting elements (revealed at night). Aulani has two water slides (besides the small one on the side of Menehune Bridge). Tubestone Curl is a 1-2 seater tube slide and Volcanic Vertical being an enclosed body slide. Tubestone Curl is neatly embedded into the rockwork. Like with other rockwork across the resort, the queue for these slides reveals hidden creatures. You get some decent speed on this slide! These turns are surprisingly intense for a water slide! This is a fun and accessible body slide that is a more thrilling option to enjoy on property. This is the last time you see any kind of light before the slide gets pitch black. Back over at Rainbow Reef there's another experience to be had... This time (for an upcharge) we were able to feed the fish! Ka Maka Grotto features an infinity-edge looking out into the ocean. Another look at Menehune Bridge. Keiki Cove Splash Zone is a fun water play area for the younger kids. There are some pretty cool water jets in this play area. You can't deny this view is cool. I told you I'd be back to try the Mickey Spam Musubi. Rainbow Reef also has a dry viewing area where you can observe from above and below the water line. Goofy was out and about enjoying the pool day! We decided to treat ourselves to a couples massage at the Laniwai Spa and let me tell you it was the greatest spa experience we've ever had. Laniwai has the most immersive spa experience I've had the pleasure to enjoy, with the journey from check-in to your massage being absolutely mood-setting. There are loungers to enjoy while you wait for your massage to begin, but the real magic lays beyond that doorway. Not unlike the Rainforest Room in the Senses Spa on the Disney Cruise Line ships except outdoors, Kula Wai is a relaxation space with showers, jacuzzis and loungers. There's something very unique about Kula Wai's outdoor location compared to other spa relaxation areas. Next to Kula Wai's heated jacuzzi is a polar plunge pool and it hurts so good. There's a koi pond near the front of the interior of the resort. The Waikolohe Pool is the resort's largest and has multiple entryways. Pāpālua Shave Ice is the spot to get a cool treat to counteract the hot sun. And they have a great mix of flavors to choose from including several Hawaii flavors like Liliko'i and Haupia. For $6 (the Mickey ears are $1 extra) you get this massive serving of fresh shave ice with up to three flavors and it is awesome! Off the Hook is both a pool bar and another table service dining option at Aulani... And dare I say, the best dining value onsite. This Garlic Shrimp Flatbread was one of the best dishes I consumed over this entire trip. And the Crab BLT had one of the best crab-forward crab bakes I've ever had! I still can't get over this beach view of the sunset. We got lucky with an evening open house at Aunty's Beach House where we could meet Daisy Duck! Pu'u Kilo glows beautifully at night. Aulani really is something else and it is hard to describe just how special this place feels. Our last full day at the resort was magical...

Meager gap in park experience? If you say so...

We were up bright and early the next morning to traverse the island, heading first to the Kualoa Ranch. This insanely picturesque, privately owned section of the island is famously favorited as the hottest spot to film movies and shows with tropical, mountainous or forested backgrounds. The ranch's notable filmography includes films from the Jurassic Park/Jurassic World franchise (earning the ranch as second moniker as "Jurassic Valley"), 50 First Dates, George of the Jungle, Kong: Skull Island, LOST and many, many more. The Kualoa Ranch offers a variety of tours and experiences, including a horseback riding experience. While tempting as that was, we were here for something a little more rugged. It is important to note that none of the individual tour options cover ALL that there is to see at the Ranch, so if you're tight on time like we were, you have to choose the one that visits the landmarks and points of interest that matter to you, or plan to experience multiple tour types to maximize your access. Reservations are absolutely recommended and walk-up availability is not guaranteed. Today we'd be piloting UTVs across the grounds of the Kualoa Ranch, the best way to get a sense of adventure off-road while seeing some of the best locations across the property. Kualoa Ranch is expansive and has coastal sections with amazing views as well as inland valleys and forested areas where you couldn't feel farther from the ocean if you tried. Over the years, film/tv production has facilitated the creation of sets that, rather than demolition when production has ended, the Ranch has maintained and reutilized, both for future productions as well as for tours to visit. The money shot. Fans of Jurassic World will recognize this as the station for the Gyrosphere attraction. This bunker was featured in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom--a key location on Isla Nublar as the island is being engulfed in lava from the re-awakened volcano. Absolutely unreal. You do get a chance to exit your UTV for several stops along the tour. This was the partially-built Indominous Rex paddock used in the filming of Jurassic World. Movie magic and digital effects completed the rest to make a fully constructed housing for the villainous dinosaur hybrid who wreaked havoc on the film's namesake park. Iconic imagery from Kong: Skull Island can be found along the tour. Seriously stunning. Another bunker along the route... Notice the tour bus to the left and the open air bus to the right of the bunker. Both are different types of tour options to explore Kualoa Ranch. A breathtaking view which also serves as the perfect location for the finale shot of Jurassic World where the hero T-Rex roars over the remains of the park before the film cuts to the credits. We filmed a ton of footage and took so many more photos over the course of our time at Kualoa Ranch but this magical place is best experienced in person and I can't recommend it enough. Next we drove to the North Shore to experience CLIMB Works - Keana Farms for an amazing zip-lining tour across this side of the island. After our ascent to one of the highest points of Keana Farms, we were met with an opportunity to crack open fresh macadamia nuts with rocks by hand and it was all kinds of fun and tasty. The experience includes zip-lines, rope bridges, rappelling and even some climbing along the way. This was a very active (sometimes tiring) course so it is definitely recommended that you come prepared to work for the reward of getting across the course. Keana Farms is an active agricultural farm as well as a wind farm, so you get some really neat views along the way. You get all kinds of neat views along the way! Did I mention that you rappel several times along the way? The experience includes 8 dual lines (which was great for us as a couple being able to zip alongside each other), 2 rappels, 3 sky bridges, a floating staircase, an ATV ride and a few surprises (hope you have core strength in your body!). Proof it was me who endured all of this. The guides are awesome and ensure you have a safe, fun and funny trip along the way... They encouraged us on this one line to try experiencing it upside down, so this was my POV. That's me on the left, just hanging out. I mentioned earlier that LOST was filmed at Kualoa Ranch, and while that is true, the production spanned much of Honolulu (and at times, beyond). One such famous location was the "Others' Camp" which is actually a YMCA on the far end of the island. With permission from the operating staff, you are allowed to visit the grounds to see this notable location. It has been repainted from its recognizable orange color but the Dharma Initiative houses-turned Others' homes-turned Oceanic Flight 815-survivors' homes are still the ones you would have seen on the show. We made the long drive back to Aulani and checked in for our first official night at the resort. In case you're wondering what a room in Aulani looks like, here you go. Such a fun touch! Color me intrigued! After a very active day we decided to take in some stargazing with our outdoor dinner at Makahiki. The restaurant has a beautiful interior that really looks great at night. Some incredibly fresh ahi tuna for dinner. Leave it to Disney to help us celebrate in small but meaningful ways! Roasted Pineapple Cobbler with a Haupia Gelato for the win! And since it was Valentine's Day during our visit we picked up some special macarons from the resort to enjoy! On the walk back to our room we noticed this neat mural. Quite incredible. The next morning we were greeted with a beautiful sunrise over Aulani. And the view from our balcony... We returned to Makahiki that morning for breakfast complete with a serenade... And a first for us--Red Velvet Minnie Waffles (accompanied by more traditional Mickey Waffles)! Punaluu Sweet Bread French Toast was my treat for the morning. Part of the benefit of breakfast at Makahiki is that you get to meet several characters in their Aulani gear! Goofy's hard at work in the kitchen! And Max has taken up being a server for the day! We also saw Minnie and Pluto during our visit. And yes, fans of POG Juice can rejoice that they have it available for breakfast at Aulani... I might have had so much that they sent me out with a to-go cup for the road. Stitch caps this update off... But there was a lot more fun at Aulani still to come!

It is my understanding, but I can't say where this originated, is that the contract to repair the ride was conditional that the costs were reasonable and the track, supports, footings, and station could be re-used wherever possible to keep costs within reason. Once the track was cut at the loop, the rust / deterioration level was worse than expected and some of the concrete foundations settlement are questionable. Knott's doesn't want to spend the cost of a new coaster repairing an older mostly unpopular coaster. Based upon past situations like this, Knott's or other Cedar Fair parks, would beg the board for a new attraction and wait. Given the financial insecurities in the possible merger with Six Flags and likelyhood for a recession or lowered consumer spending for the near future, we may be stuck waiting for a replacement.