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There's a lot of options near the Valencia Town Center mall. I personally enjoy Pei Wei, Pick Up Sticks, Islands, Presto Pasta, Stonefire Grill, Topper's Pizza, Chop Shop (custom salads), Cafe Rio (a Chipotle-style place), and Zanku Chicken (an local LA fave). There's also a Crumbl, and if you're willing to spend a bit more money and time, Gyu-Kaku is really good grill it yourself Japanese BBQ. Behind the park in the other direction (more to the north) is Jimmy Dean, a fast food greasy spoon with a little bit of everything (burgers, chicken, salads, Mexican). Next to that is Tommy's known for really good, greasy chili burgers that are also an LA fave. And if you're looking for unique local history, can't go wrong with Saugus Cafe, which is the oldest restaurant in Los Angeles--130+ years! It's said that President Benjamin Harris dined there is 1890, and Theodore Roservelt in 1903. It's a classic coffee shop diner. On a side note, SFMM (and others have also reported) that Goliath is now back open.

I'm really excited for this! Yes, it looks to be a smaller water coaster and it does look to have a weaker layout, but even a weaker water coaster is still better than 80% of waterslides. With the Six Flags additions being made for this year, I think it is important to remember that Six Flags originally said they weren't adding anything at all for this year so... If anybody watched the full livestream, they also made sure to highlight the attention being given to the park's landscaping, overall appearance, and atmosphere. They are bringing in a new landscaping company to improve the park landscaping, they are going to be repainting buildings and rides throughout the park, they are adding new shading structures and seating areas, they have created new shows and they are improving current park events as well as adding some other new festivals. I know that this park has a long way to go to be a GREAT park, but any improvement is good to see at this park. I went back in June on a layover in DC, and I enjoyed the park the day that I was there. The new park president has been at the park for nearly 30 years, and his Facebook page seems to indicate that he is dedicated to improvements around the park.

Europa park has posted a onride on their streaming service Veejoy. It is the exact lay-out as reported in April last year only the triple launch is a double launch instead. It also shows a bit of the theming and I have to say I like it. Really can't wait to ride this ride.

^Honestly seems like kind of a cool idea for passholders for free! Would love to know what they're capping it at or how? Those extreme rides have very low capacity and if they're running them free that's crazy!

Nice looking theming!

Strong line-up for early entry this year. Hit it out of the park here. GateKeeper Wild Mouse Atomic Scrambler Matterhorn Calypso Dodgem Kiddy Kingdom (select rides) https://www.cedarpoint.com/early-entry

The tests began days ago and today the train has passed the top hat. Some photos of the theme: Train:

I rode Mindbender back in the summer of 2001 on a family vacation. Both of my parents are teachers and that year my sister and I both got to choose one place to stop on a cross-country road trip. My sister chose the West Edmonton Mall because it was the biggest mall in the world (I might’ve had some influence in her decision because I knew there was a giant Schwarzkopf there) and I chose Cedar Point, which was my first ever visit there. Our trip started in Northern California, up to Edmonton and ended at Cedar Point before heading back home. We spent a good four weeks total on the trip stopping at other sights along the way. Keeping in mind that this was mere months before 9/11, I look back on that trip often as the last truly carefree time in my life. To a 15 year old at the height of his “coaster enthusiasm”, it was the most epic summer ever, and Mindbender didn’t disappoint. The first drop in the back car I swear is still in my top 10 “WTF moments” especially in that backward car. I think I rode it 10 times that day while the rest of my family did their rounds at the mall. I also remember that Intamin first gen freefall they used to operate with a bonkers pop of ejector airtime when the lift stopped almost instantaneously at the top. I always intended to make another trip there and try to re-experience some of those carefree memories. Something about Mindbender made me think that it would always be there so I never thought it was that urgent. Maybe I figured it was an indoor ride and would stay in good shape forever. Just goes to show that in this hobby there is no time like the present and nothing is guaranteed.

No I completely agree with most of that, the newer stuff is by and large "better" but it is considerably less "interesting". RMC's are all great but they're all kind of the same. It's not a bad thing by any means, it's great to have a smooth, intense, dynamic, (mostly) reliable coaster at every park in America, but when everyone has one none of them feel like a as much of a unique destination I guess. I will say there is still some newer "weird" out there and I always appreciate that. Cannibal at Lagoon, the wooden shuttle coaster in Texas, the new Tilt coaster coming to Austin although there may be a dozen of those across the globe 10 years from now. Guardians at Epcot is pretty unique but certainly on a different scale, but something like the new Uncharted ride in Spain or even the Darkastle conversion at BGW are pretty interesting projects. As far as Mindbender, I never got to ride it but it was definitely a "bucketlist" type coaster for me. I will say I never really understood the appeal of Schwarzkopf's, been on several, they're all fine and good but nothing that was ever close to a Top 10 or 20 ride for me. It is sad to them permanently removed, but if Indiana Beach successfully reopens Quimera then hey that'll be some old school new weirdness in the coaster world.

I'm not gonna linger long because honestly, my desire to be involved in this hobby is gone and probably never coming back. The Mindbender is something I rode and I'll readily admit that it was a source of enormous "anticippointment" - I hated the accordion restraints and realized people had just made up stories about them being better/different than other attractions like Taz's Texas Tornado. But there were the bones of something very good there. In honestly, the real reason to even interject myself here is just to say somewhere online that Mindbender going away is just part and parcel of what feels like a kind of "end" for that generation of attractions. A lot of stuff that was a big deal domestically and abroad when I got into the hobby - The Ultimate, Montana Rusa from Mexico, Mindbender, countless giant wood coasters, Big Bad Wolf, Eagle's Fortress - all that stuff is gone. What's taken its place is honestly "better" in terms of dynamics, pacing, forces, and such, but I find it to feel much more generic and interchangeable. There's less weird when every coaster is built by one of every 6-7 firms and there's 20 examples of everything. And what is "weird" now often has no positive, good properties. Screaming Squirrels are weird but they suck. But then again, if I think everything sucks, maybe the Screaming Squirrel is actually fun. And that's why it is time for me to move on.