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Fish rarely bite when it's most convenient. You'll lose a lot of fish if you wait until you finish shitting out all those milk and cookies.

I'm very surprised they're closing it so early with a 3-year gap between iterations. Since the new version is completely detached from the existing building I don't know why they couldn't leave the original running longer. Maybe it's just a money pit, maintenance-wise, so they're cutting their losses, but what do I know? Edit - About two seconds after hitting submit I had a thought. Maybe they're actually going for a Guardians-style system and even using the original building with a launch, just like UoE became the station and queue in Epcot while the actual ride is in a separate building. That could be fun...

We had so much fun! On Fri night when our 9:45 pm flight got delayed and we ended up not landing in San Antonio until about 12:45 am, meaning we had 40 hours until we had to turn around and fly home again I was re-thinking the worth and wisdom of this trip; but it turned out to totally be worth it. I am not a huge seeker of character meet and greets but was excited to get Marvin the Martian, don't see him out and about very much. Of course the nice 75 degree, blue sky, and sunshine day helped a lot too! Besides we once flew to Dallas and back in one day just to go to the park there so........ And the schnitzel was legit very good, not just theme park good. And as far as why was Santa pooping. Everybody poops. I'm more curious why he was fishing while pooping. That does not seem sanitary.

Awesome TR of the visit, Bert! And I 'think' I found you in that group Onstage Photo, after the show. Back Row. To the right of that center building/house(?). I can just see the cap on your head, heh. And the moustache, darker than the beard. How long was this version of A Christmas Carol? (EDIT: I re-read your posting. 45+ min. huh?) It looked like they packed as much of the original story as they could into this one. Looked great, btw. and Merry Mary to you for the Holly-Daze, Bert. Best wishes to you, your family and close friends.

went up to SFFT Saturday for the annual "Feliz Fiesta" event, and had a wonderful time. unfortunately, Kid Flash *is* down, but we got first rides of the day on Superman, a really great Holiday Meal, and night time ERT after park close on Roadrunner, Dr. Diabolical's Cliffhanger, and Iron Rattler - and the ERT started with a "twice around the park to enjoy the lights" train ride! we also got sneak peeks at the logos for the new rides in DCUniverse, and special seating for the new (and EXCELLENT) show "Charles Dikens' Christmas Carol" the surprise hot chocolate and cookies after the train were an added bonus . . a highly recommended event, if you're in the area. (I had friends come down from St. Louis, and Atlanta areas just for this event). some pics: meeting up at front gate, and grabbing a pic with Jason Knutson (regional rep for ACE south central region) and Jeff Filicko (Marketing Mgr for SFFT) Park President Jeffrey Siebert, shouting out "BERT" and giving me a big bear hug, as we entered the park (with a wonderful photo bomb from Kim (TeacherKim here on TPR) and her son Joel - who flew from St Louis for the event). LOVED this photo op. .and didn't have much of a line! as opposed to Bugs, Sylvester, and Tax in PJs - that had too long of a line to wait in, so I just snapped pic as walked by. can't go to SFFT without a stop in to see Sweet Connie in Sangerfest Halle - and we all used our dining passes to have Chicken Schnitzel (for my $$ the BEST food option in the park). our badges for the event work as Flash Passes today, so we rode a bunch of things too. . but on the way to Wonder Woman coaster, we passed a show going on in front of the big tree in Rockville. I believe the ladies used to be known as the "Jingle Belles". . but they've changed it slightly, so they're now known as the "Tinker Belles" the show ends with a Rocketts-like kickline that includes Bugs & Babs walking back to the front to visit the VIP lounge, we came across another photo op. . this one had shorter line, so hopped in it. SO nice to see Pepe has been let out of the "me too" doghouse. . . and Marvin was out too! a peek at the menu in the VIP lounge. i had the Merry Christmas Morning. . which was VERY good. . tho I think it might have been served in the wrong cup size. it was mostly Baileys, but a bit costly for the amount. Jeffrey greeted us it he Picnic grove for dinner, all dapper in his festive Feliz Fiesta suit. and they unveiled ride signs for the re-vamped DC Universe (and new) rides! the updated fountain with new sign, and the 3 new rides^ the Monorail layout, and the new Supergirl (rethemed Skyscreamer) sign ^ the rethemed Poison Ivy (Up Up and Away) and Penguin (Convoy) ride signs ^ the rethemed Green Lantern (Zoom Jets) & Batgirl (Starliner coaster) ride signs ^ the design of the station for the new monorail revealed! ^ and the layout of the area now! after a great meal.. we were led backstage over to the Rockville High theater and brought into a side door for special seating of the new show. even if you've seen "A Christmas Carol" a million times? do NOT miss this show. newly songs, all written in house, and with some really impressive performers. *this* is why the Park is known as a show park. Absolutely, highly recommended. . I'd put this way up there with the level of the Dollywood Christmas Show. pics from the show (it's about 45 minutes, and as it's in the smaller theater - the bigger one, Zaragoza, is used for the big Majesty of Christmas show - the performances of this DO fill up. . so get there early). the show ends with the cast asking the audience to Sing along to "We wish you a Merry Christmas" . . . and once the show cleared, the people attending Feliz Fiesta were invited up on stage for a group picture: taking advantage of being on the stage to snap a few selfies exiting the show to the gorgeous Rockville Christmas tree. . and bumped into Bugs and Babs Kim and I also caught a performance of "the Singing Saps" and also saw (clockwise from my right): Renee, Katie, Belinda, Amanda, and Erika passing by. . so grabbed a pic with them too! the park really does look amazing. I think SeaWorld has more lights. . .but SFFT certainly wins out for entertainment for me. back up to the VIP lounge to grab a drink (SFFT has the biggest and nicest VIP lounge in the chain from what I've heard. I have a Diamond pass, so have access, but on Sat, everyone with an event lanyard had access). GREAT views of the plaza and the lights from up here. not very crowded, as most were in Zaragoza theater for the big Christmas show at the moment. more pics from the lounge ^ it was quieting down, so we decided to walk the park and look at lights. and we finally got a mostly "bacground people" free pic in front of the main photo op. oh. . but I had forgotten. . Santa is over here on Candy Cane lane. . . his elves were out front (handing out candy.. which I asked if was leftover from Halloween, and was told it was. . LOL. . but it had been in a freezer, so was cold. Loved it tho. and Santa didn't have much of a line at the moment (remember, everyone was in the big show). . so I got a pic with him here comes Miss Kitty, all decked out for the holidays! blurry, but pretty crowded. . the luminarias over in CrackAxle really do make the area look fantastic another of the Holiday "shows". . this one is every 5 minutes or so: H2Ho Ho Ho. . . funny. beautiful. . . leading into DC Universe and I LOVE the lights they put on Rattler. . hope those stay up year round. sadly, not even the Lights on Kid Flash were operating but I really do love the theming they've put up on it.. .the "Flash" symbols on the fence look great. hopefully can get this fixed - was told the company is working on it, and they hope to have it back up operating by end of year . .. . fingers crossed. Um. . . I don't think this looks like, what they THINK it looks like #whyisSantapooping? FIRE!!!! another friend who came from out of town, this is Jennifer and some of the group I was hanging with on the train with me (two cycles around the park) to kick off ERT as the park was shutting down. clockwise from left: John Chen, Russell, Kim, Joel, and Jennifer. very full train of happy Event attendees, and Jeffrey joined us on the back car, to play carols, and talk during the ride. and that's a wrap. a really good event, and absolutely worth going to the new show (and the classic Christmas show is good too)

Part 15 An Identity Crisis and Dueling Infinity Coasters: Power Park Puzzled strangers are nothing new on Theme Park Review trips. Here’s a case in point. We flew to this rather small airport in northern Finland en route to the country’s (and I imagine the world’s) northern-most theme park--Power Park. The group was hanging out at baggage claim when I noticed this, I presume, Finnish gentlemen in a suit and tie staring at us in astonishment. It was as though he couldn’t believe that anyone who wasn’t Finnish would fly here unless they absolutely had to on business. Hey, fun is very serious business. Sometimes, fun requires you to wear a fire suit! So, off we went from the adorably cute little aerodrome to Power Park . . . or was that “Powerland”? The resort and park bear both names. From what I’ve gleaned, “Powerland” started out as the amusement section of the Power Park resort. However, over the years the “Powerland” name was dropped, and the whole place--hotel, go kart tracks, stables, and amusement park--became known as “Power Park.” But I could be mistaken. Power Park boasts two Gerstlaurer Infinity Coasters: Junker and Pitts Special. Junker is a launched ride with a sprawling layout, some inversions, and plenty of airtime. Pitts Special has a vertical chain lift, a twisty layout with no inversions, and some decent airtime. The rides are next-door neighbors. When you see all that green track from the park’s go-kart grandstands, it looks like it’s all one ride. Everyone seemed to love Junker, but were more indifferent to Pitts Special. I look at it this way: Junker is great ride, while Pitts Special is a good one. There was a TPR Gran Prix this year. I drove in the 2009 version and found that I wasn’t a “go-kart guy” (I also had the worst time of anyone on the track that day, as I’m far too cautious). But Power park had plenty of other attractions to offer, such as Thunderbird (an old GCI built in 2006) and a fun Wild West shooting dark ride in a haunted saloon. (Yes, like other Scandinavian parks, Power Park has its own western town.) Start your engines and come on in. The cleverly named “Park Hotel.” It’s actually quite nice. The photo of the photo session of the video session of the TPR Gran Prix. I’m dizzy just from writing that. See all that green, twisty Gerstlaurer track? It's two Infinity Coasters that seem to merge into one! Perhaps Power Park is a portal to the Multiverse! I think the train in the foreground (red stripe) is Pitts, while the train in the background is Junker. But it’s really hard to tell from this vantage point. Is "Powerland" the alternate-universe "Power Park"? We’re not talking “junker” as in your cousin’s old 1980 Chevette. This is “Junker” as in the old WWII German airplane. A dramatic shot of Junker in flight, diving out of the sun, strafing an enemy airfield . . . well, maybe not that. Pitts Special cannot do this. Reactions range from “whee” to “why did I get on this thing?” Put me in the “whee” group. I really liked this ride. Time to unleash the group on an unsuspecting park! (Photo by Robb Alvey.) Neo’s Twister is a ride that exists. The fact of its existence is neither “good” nor “bad.” It simply “is”--and that’s enough. Bill Maher in a cowboy hat doing a set in Vegas--Finnish style. “You gonna flip them flippers or whistle ‘Dixie’”? It’s a truck and a restaurant? O brave new world with such people in it! “I’m Jack Palance. And tonight, you’re going to ride a Vekoma Boomerang that doesn’t actually try to kill you! Believe it . . . or else!” Joyride. It too exists. Like Neo’s Twister. This gives you a good look at Pitts’s weird “treble clef” element, which reminded me of Fury at Carowinds. At least that's how it looks from this angle. Thunderbird runs surprisingly well for a 17-year-old GCI. I like its nice sign and waterfall, too. It does, indeed, have hair time--if you provide the hair. “This here’s the wildest ride in the Finnish wilderness!” OK, this was apparently a somewhat uncomfortable section of track. (Photo probably by AJ or Andy.) I vote for the front row on Thunderbird. (Photo probably by AJ or Andy. Or maybe Elissa. I forget.) So that’s what happened to WDW’s old Tower of Terror billboard. Let’s have another look at Pitts Special. It’s the best Infinity Coaster at Power Park that isn’t Junker. OK, I kid--it’s a fun ride. It’s also endearingly bowlegged. Here’s another ride that happened, but I’m not sure it exists as more than a hallucination. There’s this little indoor mall near the park with a collection of unusual cars--such as James Bond’s Lotus from The Spy Who Loved Me. You get a nice view of the park’s skyline on the walk back from the mall. Before we bid a fond farewell to Power Park . . . . . . here’s one last look at Junker.

Been a few years, but according to the park’s facebook page and an email sent to Seabreeze passholders, the park will be installing a Zamperla Windstarz ride in 2024. Unfortunately, this new addition comes at the expense of the park’s Flying Scooters. . Nice to see the park adding something new though, and I have a feeling this ride will be well received by the family crowd that Seabreeze caters to. Seabreeze new Windstarz for 2024