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got lucky at ACE Winterfest (well. . maybe not lucky, but smart, and opened with a face value bid), and scored the last two tix available to Holliwood Nights ! The presenter said it sold out in SEVEN seconds this year. so yup, doing HN two years in a row. yay!!! seems the "theme" this year is "Mean Girls". . . guess I'd better watch that movie (and it's a mini Coasterstock reunion, as I again invited Teacher Kim to join me, and we're meeting up with friends from Coasterstock 2022 Danielle and Jan (who scored tix via the on sale time lottery).

No, they're saying the exact opposite - they're saying that SFStL has potential, potential that was being ignored, not only by the newly combined SFEC but also Legacy-Six for decades. You do realize that one of the other parks that SFEC sold, Valleyfair, was the "Fair" part of the Cedar Fair name, right? This sale didn't pick sides. You should look on the bright side; if the park wasn't sold to EnPark, there's a good likelihood it would have just been closed SFA-style.

Six Flags has officially announced the sale of seven properties to real estate investment firm EPR Properties: https://www.sixflags.com/blog/looking-forward-a-new-chapter-for-six-flags At Six Flags, creating unforgettable moments has always been at the heart of everything we do. Every twist, turn, splash, and scream-worthy drop is driven by one mission: bringing joy to millions of guests and families year after year. Sometimes, staying true to that mission means making thoughtful decisions about where we focus our energy so we can keep delivering the thrills and experiences our guests expect. Today, we’re sharing an important update about the future of Six Flags—one that strengthens our foundation, sharpens our focus, and supports long-term growth across our parks. Streamlining Our Portfolio to Focus on What Matters Most As part of our ongoing strategy to optimize and strengthen our park portfolio, Six Flags has entered into definitive agreements to sell seven parks to EPR Properties. These parks include: Michigan’s Adventure (Grand Rapids, MI) Schlitterbahn Waterpark Galveston (Galveston, TX) Six Flags Great Escape (Queensbury, NY) Six Flags La Ronde (Montreal, QC) Six Flags St. Louis (St. Louis, MO) Valleyfair (Minneapolis, MN) Worlds of Fun (Kansas City, MO) This step allows us to concentrate on the Six Flags parks with the greatest potential for innovation, expansion, and elevated guest experiences. That means by focusing today, we’re building the foundation for a stronger, more exciting future. What This Means for Our Guests First and foremost: guest experience remains a top priority. EPR Properties will partner with experienced operators—Enchanted Parks for the six U.S. parks and La Ronde Operations, Inc. for La Ronde—to ensure a smooth and seamless transition. Here’s what you can expect: All seven parks will continue normal operations through the 2026 season. All 2026 season passes and active memberships will be honored throughout 2026, including multi‑park access. EPR retains the right to use the Six Flags brand through 2026, which means you will continue to see the same names, signage, and experiences during this transition period. In short, that means uninterrupted fun. Learn more in our FAQs at the end of this blog. A Thoughtful Decision We understand how meaningful these parks are to the communities they serve and to the guests who have grown up visiting them. Our teams at these locations have created countless memories, and they are an important part of the Six Flags family. We are confident in the future of these parks under the care of EPR and its operating partners, who have strong experience managing parks of this scale. At the same time, this decision allows Six Flags to invest more deeply in the parks with the greatest opportunity for growth and innovation.

I may be biased towards the former Cedar Fair parks but I'd 100% go with Carowinds. Don't get me wrong Great Adventure has great rides, but I feel like Carowinds has better and generally you're gonna have a better all-around experience with things like operations and food service.

This pic is courtesy of Six Flags Over Texas!

Day 4 concluded: after landing in Chengdu (and I THINK this was the airport where we had quite the walk thru the parking structures to meet up with our bus), we made our way to our hotel for the next few nights: Howard Johnson Zunyue Hotel Chengdu. it had been a pretty long day, and the next day was also busy with a visit to Happy Valley, and then some sightseeing. So I really just wanted to shower and sleep. . but I was blown away by how beautiful the hotel was. i know! Howard Johnson and "beautiful" ??? but this was the case with almost every hotel we would be staying in while in China. . . . reasonable pricing, and pretty impressive hotel (particularly at night, during the day, some maintenance upkeep cracks showed), but wow.. what a stunning adventure this was turning out to be. here's the HoJo we stayed in for 3 nights in Chengdu: the impressive lobby. the breakfast was on the 2nd floor, and you could come down these stairs to meet up in the mornings. the other side of the lobby. even chandeliers by the elevators really nice, comfortable, room. with a fire safety kit - including gas masks. . . noted. . a non smoking room! but with an ashtray and matches. um. . .ok. and a pamphlet about drugs, alcohol, and romance? that can lead to death??? no English translation, so not 100% sure what they were saying NOT to do. . . but the boxed condom that was on the counter for 25yuan told me what they THOUGHT we might do in the room. giggling our asses off, Stacy and I took turns showering, and turned in. after all. . this was still only day 4 !

Batman becomes "Black Inverted Coaster" Freeze becomes "Blue Launched Boomerang Coaster" Joker becomes "Spinning Fling Machine" Justice League = "The Empty Bldg" (SF parted it out to other parks)

I honestly found Valleyfair the most shocking park in the announcement. It's an original Cedar FAIR park!!! I realize SFStL is also, but that park has felt on the way out for years already!

Yukon Striker has an almost identical element. Front row, right side is especially terrifying on the brakes because it shimmies like a son of a gun.

Day 3: Labadee Haiti Day 3 was the one I was most looking forward to as it was our first port of the trip, Labadee Haiti. Royal Caribbean markets Labadee as a private island, though it is actually a peninsula that is indeed attached to Haiti proper. There are large, barbed wire fences that block of the peninsula from the mainland. You don't really see these fences on most of the peninsula and Royal Caribbean does a great job making you feel like you truly are on an island. Allegedly there are also sniper towers to protect the peninsula, but I didn't see any. Unfortunately, as of this writing, Royal Caribbean has paused sailings to Labadee through at least the end of 2026 due to ongoing conflict/civil war in Haiti. If memory serves, they have had sailings there paused since only a month or two after our cruise there. For what it is worth, we always felt safe on the peninsula, and should Royal Caribbean ever resume operations there, I would not have reservations about going back. A lay of the land... It is very much built and executed like an amusement park. That all being said, back to the report. We arrived in Labadee around 7am with I believe a scheduled departure of 4pm. We had two planned excursions on the "island" and we planned to spend the rest of our day hanging out on the beach, enjoying the provided lunch, and checking out the local artisans. Our first look at Labadee from inside the boat. It's not exactly a short walk from the dock to the entrance of the peninsula. It provided nice views of both the boat, and of Labadee. The pier spits you out in a small entrance plaza and at that point you're off to explore anywhere you desire. As you can see on the map there is a number of different beaches and attractions to explore. There is also no shortage of bars and entertainment from locals. Even though it is a "private island", Royal Caribbean does allow locals to come over and sell handmade items or perform for cruisegoers. I will say that the local artisan area is one space I would avoid if going back to Labadee. They are EXTREMELY pushy and will absolutely not take no for an answer. So, if you're not prepared to deal with that, avoid that area of the peninsula (bottom right of the map). That being said, the local artisans do not leave that part of the property, so you don't need to be worried about being pestered all day. It was pretty windy and cloudy to start the day so some beaches and swimming spots were closed to start the day depending on where on the peninsula they were. That was okay though because we had our sights set on Adrenaline Beach. We figured it would be the slowest of the beaches in Labadee being the furthest from the boat, and also because that was the site of the only roller coaster of this trip, The Dragon's Tail Alpine Coaster. The ride itself is pretty much your run of the mill alpine coaster, but the views on this one are truly unbeatable. When we were about to ride, they had a brief mechanical delay, that we later found out was due to cameras on the lift hill losing power, but once we did ride, they let us go around a second time due to the delay. Don't have to twist my arm! The blue canopy above the coaster that you see is the launch platform for the zipline. This was our other excursion (the coaster was considered an excursion) for the day and it was absolutely incredible. We did this later in the day after the sun came out more. To get up to the platform you first load a bus and they take you up there. The bus does have to cross to the other side of the fence that separates Labadee from Haiti proper and there was armed military personnel. A little odd and definitely a bit "freaky" but not 30 seconds later we were back on "our" side of the fence and getting suited up for the zipline. I obviously couldn't take my phone with me but the views from the top were simply remarkable. In the following photos you can see the ziplines overhead. We did swim some on Adrenaline Beach but found the sand there to be very rough. Many rocks that were tough on the feet. So after a lunch of burgers, hot dogs, and other picnic food we ventured over to Nellie's Beach which was much better. The day went quickly, but that's a sign of a good time. A few more photos I grabbed on the way out. We were then on the ship and off to our next destination, and not a moment too soon. A pretty legit thunderstorm was heading towards Labadee from the other side of the mountains, which was cool to see from the boat. We settled in for the evening, thoroughly exhausted from a great day. I would like to once again say that Labadee was an excellent experience and I highly recommend it. I see cruise bookings for 2027 do have Labadee as an option, but there is no saying if that sticks around. If it does, and you're looking for cruises, do yourself a favor and pick a cruise with Labadee on the itinerary. That's all for now, thanks for reading!

Same. We are entering an incredibly interesting time in the park's history, which is more than could be said if things kept on as normal with the previous (horrendous) owners/management. The deal for all 7 parks was for $342 million according to Screamscape. One would sure assume that the new ownership group did not make this purchase unless they thought there was money to be made, so I think that bodes well for at least the immediate future. Probably not the long term future if things sputter, but yeah, I'd much rather roll the dice and MAYBE have chance of legit seeing improvement. I'm hoping they do not continue with any sort of agreement for the DC/WB licensing and instead do what they can to rebrand/rename and hopefully have some sort of semblance of actual theming in the park, even if it's somewhat rudimentary. I hope this park is successful. I think the opportunity is very much there if these folks come at with an actual solid plan and the budget to see it through, whatever that may be. If they can present a solid vision for what it will be, I'll happily buy passes for my entire family again and be ready to spend time and money there. If it eventually goes the way of another McBride homes subdivision, well I hope the next few years are fun, at least!

Latest pics from Six Flags Over Texas which show loading station construction progress.

Den of lost thieves at Indiana Beach

The parts they did last year were great... Then the second half of the ride tried to kill me.

Can't hide it now... Was surprised to see the news this morning!!

The Ragin' Cajun relocation will not be operating during Spring Break for sure, and I'm pretty sure Superman will be inaccessible as well (though we'll know more about that after opening day this Saturday). I would go to Carowinds. I'd honestly go to Carowinds any day of the week over SFGAdv, and the prior is a 9 hour drive for me while the latter is less than 2.

Next up was the ArtScience Museum Future World at Marina Bay Sands. Iconic from the outside, I was most eager to visit another teamLab experience having done teamLab Borderless in Tokyo many years ago. With no expectations but my prior experience I wandered inside... The complex's architecture is art and science in every way. For those of you unfamiliar with teamLab. Easier to let them explain to you what I was about to see... The thing about teamLab experiences is that, with time, the rooms transform and the experiences with them. So while wandering is encouraged, taking the time to take in each space is an absolute must. Walls and floors change in subtle and sweeping ways... And with time, it is as if you're in a totally different space. Such a neat space. Moose. teamLab experiences are also very family friendly! Like this room where you can draw your own sea creature... Children and adults alike can participate and see their creatures come to life, swimming across the space, inside and out. Interactive projection surfaces respond to physical environment changes. When you move the frying pan prop, projections show it in use and characters visit the pan to take a look at the food inside. This teamLab location was more hands on and crafty than Borderless. But the end result was super fun. Another room where you can draw and see it brought into the animated world around you. I was pleased to see one of these signature climbing structures in this teamLab location after being challenged by the one in Tokyo. If you've ever seen images from a teamLab installation, you've probably seen them from an endless light room like this. Such a fun and stunning space to explore and take it all in. The sketches you've prepared in the other rooms can actually be turned into custom merchandise! Time for more adventures... I sought out Gyu-Kaku, both because I love it (thanks to Robb & Elissa for introducing me to the location in Orlando many years ago) and because they had a unique local menu including several cuts of wagyu. I did some serious damage here. While super touristy, the Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel is an experience I was strongly encouraged to try after work. The story goes that it was here (in its original form) that the Singapore Sling was first invented. While the bar has been modernized over the years (and the prices with it), the experience aligns with that of its history, including sacks of peanuts at the table and the right to drop the shells on the floor. It's definitely a more modern experience than I expected for the hype, but I enjoyed it. While expensive on a level I would never otherwise justify, the signature Singapore Sling was an incredibly delicious drink... Enough so that I paid that silly price twice to try the original recipe Singapore Sling as my follow-up drink. No regrets. During a lunch break deeper into the week, I had a chance to try Hainanese-style Chicken Rice for the first time and I was quite pleased with the results. As the end of the trip drew nearer, our hosts took us out to dinner to send us off. This was a view of major construction happening on Sentosa Island, adjacent to Universal Studios Singapore. I believe it is for the upcoming Super Nintendo World expansion but I can't say for sure. Dinner was at a popular local hot pot restaurant (oddly enough, my first ever). Along the way we had hand pulled noodles stretched table side... And there was a mask-changing performer here too. It was neat to see. Amongst my final days in Singapore, one of my co-workers strongly recommended Newton Food Centre as the hawker center to experience a variety of unique foods... You find a stall with a menu item that interests you, order and take a seat. You may not think this sounds appealing and I had my doubts when my co-worker recommended specifically that I try BBQ stingray while I was here, but I was told that as a fan of seafood and someone willing to try unique foods at least once, that this had to be the booth to visit. Let me say that this is legitimately one of the best things I've ever consumed anywhere, ever. When in a Singaporean hawker center, a cheap, tall bottle of Tiger beer to counteract the sambal oleak heat coming from the BBQ stingray is the perfect way to go. Riding the high from that last win, I was drawn to this Michelin-recognized stall... These wings (and the pork and beef satay, not pictured here) were worth the hype! I was still hungry and willing to try another knockout local dish, so to the next Michelin-recognized booth I went. Ending my night with a belly full of authentic chili crab (which I was able to break down/tear apart myself) was the perfect way to finish off this culinary journey.

Kings Island has shared a new look at the construction of Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare, the park's new interactive dark ride opening this year. https://x.com/KingsIslandPR/status/2032570003044573625/ So you wanted to see the theater, did you? Construction is well underway for Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare and we are stepping behind the curtain for a look at recent progress on what you'll see when you first step inside the Phantom Theater!

Here are some positive views. From their Instagram themselves they have said, "Our focus is simple: Preserve what makes each park special. Support the incredible teams behind them. Continue serving the communities that have supported these parks for generations." Another quote pulled from an Amusement Today article, "Like I said, we have a 40-year lease. We’re committed long-term to these parks,” Harhi told AT. “We’re not going to walk away from that legacy. We’re really excited about building on the rich history of each park.” This came from an interview with James Hari, which I'll link down below. It would seem that if there is a problem with capital investments going forward, it will be on end of EPR, not at the end of Enchanted Parks. Enchanted seems to want to evolve as an amusement park operator, not just simply pick up another source of income. At the end of the day, I guess it's all up to the greed of EPR, and as long as they don't get so caught up in retained earnings or whatever the proper corporate financial term is, then these parks will arguably be better than they were under Six Flags/ Cedar Fair not getting anything of notice. Source: https://amusementtoday.com/2026/03/breaking-news-enchanted-parks-acquires-multiple-six-flags-properties/

After all of that work they put into that damed carousel ….

Allow me to introduce: removepaywall.com Option 3 tends to always work for me, but sometimes you need to archive the page you're looking for yourself.

no.. . the next big hint will drop and the upcoming fullest moon, but not the announcement of the attraction itself. and that is the blue moon. I suspect we won't know any more detail until after FT92. . . or the giant reveal at next year's Winterfest - which was announced to be hosted by. . . . . Fiesta Texas. and 2027 is the 35th Anniversary of the park. it was a great winterfest, tho really there wasn't much update on SFFT other than the above mention. remember, it was in Grand Prairie (less than 14 miles from SFOT), and it was opening day for that park. So Jeffery was a late afternoon presenter (since he had to be at the park that morning), and most of his presentation detail was on SFOT. Tho he did cover all the other parks under his pervue and give brief updates. as to my take? I've adjusted my guess - which I thought was gonna be a Mack water coaster. --> I now think it's a multi-launch, with an indoor stop (likely prior to a backwards launch). Think Firechaser Express at Dollywood. I truly think that's what's coming in that huge space.

Your delusional. I guess you could call it an airtime speed machine if you had just rode Flight deck then Time Warp then Sky rider in comparison. I'm 60 so not young'n. The beast cannot EVER be compared to this mess, ever. It is also the not best helix I currently know and never will be. Maybe a helix retrack will help, but not enough to ever make it a airtime speed machine. Delusional.

Y'all are soft. Soft! Minebuster is an airtime speed machine on both halves. The helix is the best part, just like The Beast. It might be a little rough and tumble but it's a wood coaster, they're supposed to be. Christ, you young'ns would have died in the 90s...

It's nice to see a new classic area not filled with dumbass superhero crap.

Universal Studios Hollywood has shared new looks at the upcoming Scooby-Doo Meets the Universal Monsters: Mystery on the Backlot experience exclusive to this year's Universal Fan Fest Nights! https://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/hhn/en/us/things-to-do/entertainment/ffn-scooby-doo-universal-monsters It’s Universal Monsters, Mayhem, and Meddling on the Backlot’s Biggest New Mystery Yet! Get ready for Scooby-Doo Meets the Universal Monsters: Mystery on the Backlot, a new interactive whodunit only at Universal Fan Fest Nights! Become an extra in a movie gone wrong as iconic Universal Monsters are unleashed on the Universal Studios Backlot. You must join Scooby-Doo and gang to solve the case and save the shoot. With immersive sets, character encounters and cinematic chaos, this is one mystery you won’t want to leave unsolved. Lights. Camera. Chaos! Four suspects. One masked mastermind. Help Scooby-Doo and gang solve the mystery and come face-to-face with Frankenstein's Monster, Dracula and other iconic Universal Monsters! Hop off the tram to explore Little Europe including the Court of Miracles on Universal Studios Backlot—where the original monster movies were filmed—and meddle in the mystery of The Phantom Director’s true identity. Work together with Daphne, Shaggy and the rest of Mystery Inc. to save the day. Scooby-Doo Meets Universal Monsters Meets Yummm Fuel up like Scooby and the gang with a frightfully fun menu! Scarf down Scooby Snacks™ and indulge in tasty bites inspired by your favorite Universal Monsters. It’s a deliciously immersive way to keep the fun going between meddling and mystery. Universal Monsters, Meddling & Must-Have Merchandise Commemorate your mysterious, monstrous experience with merchandise featuring Scooby-Doo and Universal Monsters. Think You Have What It Takes to Crack the Case? Team up with Mystery Inc. as you uncover clues to solve an original case and come face-to-face with the Universal Monsters who roam the Universal Backlot. It's only at Universal Fan Fest Nights!

Beto Carrero World is planning a new SpongeBob SquarePants themed area with two attractions, plus a new roller coaster and three 200-room hotels in a wave of expansion to transform the park into a resort destination. The roller coaster is claimed to be "super-technological" and slated for a 2028 opening. https://en.clickpetroleoegas.com.br/Beto-Carrero-prepares-a-giant-event-with-R%242-billion--a-new-SpongeBob-SquarePants-themed-area--and-a-super-technological-roller-coaster.-MHBB01/ Elected the second best theme park in the world in the Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Awards 2025, Beto Carrero World announces a new investment cycle: a SpongeBob SquarePants themed area with two attractions, a super-technological roller coaster planned for 2028, and a hotel complex with three hotels of 200 apartments each, in Penha, SC. Beto Carrero World, in Penha, on the North Coast of Santa Catarina, opened a new chapter of expansion with an investment of $ 2 billion, promising to shake up the tourism landscape and solidify the park as a complete entertainment destination. Recognized as a leader in Latin America and identified as second best theme park in the world No. Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Awards 2025, Beto Carrero They want to keep the spotlight on new themed areas, large-scale attractions, and a strong investment in on-site accommodation. Expansion of R$ 2 billion: what changes at Beto Carrero The plan announced by Beto Carrero combines expanding experiences at the park with infrastructure to accommodate visitors for longer periods in the city. The proposal involves new thematic areas, new attractions and the creation of an adjacent hotel complex, with a structure planned to increase the length of stay of visitors in the region. The park's management defines the move as a "new investment cycle" to support the constant reinvention of the business and reinforce its position as one of the most relevant names in entertainment in Latin America, with a special focus on families. SpongeBob SquarePants gets the biggest area in the world featuring the character and arrives in 2028. Among the new features, the one that attracts the most attention is the thematic area of Sponge Bob, developed in partnership with Paramount. The estimated delivery date is 2028, and the promise is that it will be the world's largest area inspired by the character. The project should include two major attractionsAnd the park states that one of them will be a landmark: The most expensive and technologically advanced roller coaster ever purchased in the Southern Hemisphere.. The goal is to combine popular appeal, international scale, and cutting-edge technology to keep Beto Carrero among the most sought-after amusement destinations. The Little Spotted Hen (Galinha Pintadinha) is coming to the park with an immersive area later this year. Besides SpongeBob SquarePants, another promising addition is a Brazilian icon: The Painted Chicken It will gain a fully immersive area, with toys, encounters with characters and The premiere is scheduled still for this year and joins in the celebrations of 34 years of the park, expanding the offerings aimed at families with young children and reinforcing the strategy of having experiences dedicated to different age groups in the same destination. Teaser for another international character on the park's radar. The CEO of Beto Carrero World, Alex Murad, he indicated that the package of new features doesn't stop there. In addition to the SpongeBob SquarePants and Little Chicken themed areas, the park also works with... another thematic area featuring an internationally beloved character worldwide., with an announcement promised "soon". The message from the command is one of long-term planning, looking ahead to the next steps. 5 and 10 years ...and reinforcing the idea of continuous updates to keep the park always attractive for first-time visitors and returning visitors alike. Three hotels within the complex: each with 200 apartments. Beto Carrero's investment isn't limited to attractions. The plan includes the construction of a hotel complex attached to the park with three hotels, and each unit will 200 apartments. The proposal also includes integration with other hotel chains, designing a new lodging and leisure hub directly linked to the park experience. The strategy aims to increase the length of stay, provide more comfort to visitors, and strengthen the local economy with a more stable flow of tourists. Penha as a tourist hub: more time in the city, more economic activity. With hotels connected to the park and more attractions on the calendar, the idea is for Penha to move beyond being just a "day trip" destination and become a complete destination, combining accommodation, leisure activities, and programs for different age groups. The park itself highlights comfort as a central part of the experience, arguing that investing in accommodations was already on the radar to create a more well-rounded package, in which visitors can sleep close to the attractions and extend their trip without depending on long journeys. Constant reinvention: what Beto Carrero has already delivered in 2025 The billion-dollar expansion comes in a context of recent developments. 2025Beto Carrero inaugurated the Hot Wheels Turbo Drive, an attraction that allows children and adults driving a full-size car on a track inspired by the world of toys. In the same year, the park opened the largest Pizza Hut unit in Brazil, the only themed one installed inside a theme park, with cowboy setting and exclusive flavor in honor of the founder. This package is adds to releases like the show "In the Rhythm of Trolls"the area NERF Mania and Cowboy country, which houses the extreme attraction Fuss. With so much change on the table, do you think that the Beto Carrero Will it be able to transform Penha into an even bigger tourist hub and become a world reference point for lodging within a theme park?

Universal Studios Japan has announced that Sesame Street Fun World will have its final day of operation on Sunday, May 10th, 2026 to make way for new experiences in the park. Between now and then, a special event, "Forever Friends - Always Together" will be hosted in the land to allow guests to send off tis family-favorite area before it closes. https://www.usj.co.jp/company/company_e/news/2026/0309/ Since the park opened in 2001, Universal Studios Japan has continued to evolve and grow its programs and campaigns under the brand spirit of “NO LIMIT!”—driven by a strong commitment to delivering world‑class entertainment and truly unimaginable excitement to all our guests. As we look toward the future of our collaboration with Sesame Street™ and the continued enhancement of guest experiences, we have made the decision to conclude operations of “Sesame Street™ Fun World”—a family‑favorite area within “Universal Wonderland” that has created cherished memories for guests of all ages since its opening on March 16, 2012. The final day of operation will be Sunday, May 10, 2026. To express our heartfelt gratitude to all guests who have loved and supported “Sesame Street™ Fun World” over the years, we will host a special commemorative event that celebrates the many memories and bonds formed in this area: “Forever Friends – Always Together”, Event Period: March 20 (Fri) – May 10 (Sun), 2026 Experiences with Sesame Street™ friends will continue throughout the park, including the “NO LIMIT! Parade – Discover U!!! Version,” “Sesame Street™ 4‑D Movie Magic” (currently suspended), “The Ultimate Blues Bash – Colors of Music,” and various character greetings. To express heartfelt gratitude to all guests who have cherished this area over the years, the park will host a special commemorative event: “Forever Friends – Always Together” Event Period: March 20 (Fri) – May 10 (Sun), 2026 For 14 years, “Sesame Street™ Fun World” has watched over the precious moments shared by families and friends. This special farewell event celebrates those bonds and memories built in this beloved space. ■Event Overview: “Forever Friends – Always Together” ●Capture Your Memories with Elmo and Friends!“Memory Snapshot Card” Guests will receive a special card that allows them to take unique photos blending the Sesame Street™ characters with real park scenery when held up at designated locations. Take home one last unforgettable photo from the streets of Sesame Street! Artwork will change during the event. [Distribution Period] -First Round: From March 20, 2026 (Fri) – until supplies last -Second Round: April 15, 2026 (Wed) – May 10, 2026 (Sun) Dates are subject to change. [Distribution Location] Universal Wonderland Distribution may be limited or canceled depending on weather or on-site conditions. ●Share Your Precious Memories!“Everyone’s Treasure Board” Guests can write down their favorite memories—beloved attractions, joyful moments, special experiences—and post them on “Treasure Boards” installed in two locations within the area. [Locations] In front of Elmo’s Imagination Playland & Sesame’s Big Drive [Period] April 11, 2026 (Sat) – May 10, 2026 (Sun) Schedules and locations may change or be canceled due to weather or operational reasons. Message cards will be replaced regularly.

I love passholder preview day! Ride operations are usually one of those fecal shows and i expect to get only 1 or 2 rides if that, but everyone is so glad to be back that it doesn’t even matter.

Carowind peeps, I need your advise: Spring Break question. We have the MVP pass and want to try to get as much milage out of it this year before Six Flags implodes (joking... not joking). ANWAYS... My wife and I have not been to Great Adventure of Carowinds (about the same distance from us). So, for a fun two-day trip should we go to Great Adventure or Carowinds during their April spring break? (cross posted in the SFGAdv.)

I have always enjoyed my visits to Darien Lake. Great family park with the campground next to it! Great rides too, especially Viper!

so. . . one of the reasons I love TPR (and there are many, among them the great friends I've made over the years with other posters/trip goers) is that via Robb & Elissa, I'm able to do things I never thought in a million years I would get to do. this trip to China was one of them. I'm serious when I say that this trip knocked out several things from my bucket list, including my #1 (getting to visit all currently existing Disney Parks in the world). I'd looked forwards to this trip for almost a full year, and now that it was upon me I had a bit of panic (the Government had shut down and what would that do to travel?), and a lot of excitement. Elissa and Robb were invaluable assets in terms of knowing what to apply for Visa wise, what apps to set up, how much local $$ to bring, what VPN to get, what eSim, etc. etc. add to this, my Boyfriend was fully moving in with me, 2 days after I left for the trip - after spending the better part of the prior year and a half traveling back and forth an hour 40 minutes each way to stay with me every few days. and I'd be gone for almost a month, while he was alone in the house. But I valued so much that I was invited to join, and overall, wouldn't trade the experience for anything! the first installment here is getting to China, so not a lot of pics of things other than myself and plane food. but we'll quickly get into many amazing things in upcoming installments. *and I'm even gonna go back and finish off my Oktoberfest report from last year. . . whoops! life got in the way, but gonna finish that, as that TPR trip was amazing as well. anyways. . here we go, off to the races up at 3am, and Jim and I took a pic before he drove me the 40 minutes to the Austin airport, before he headed back to Waco - as he had to work that morning. I always tend to fly United for international flights, because for me? they are the best of the worst. They ALWAYS mess something up, be it delayed/cancelled flights stranding me somewhere, lost luggage, a missed connection. . . something! (that said, this trip? first time, EVER, no luggage lost, and no flight cancelled that left me stranded somewhere.. even tho there was a bit of drama, as you'll see). the bonus is that because I've always had issues, I have a ton of credit and goodwill from the Company, so when they offered to upgrade me to Polaris Business class (after some flight f**kery that moved my flights around multiple times in the month leading up to the trip), for less than $150? I grabbed it. and because of that, I had access to the United Lounges on my flight there. here I am around 4am having a light snack in the Lounge in the Austin airport. the first flight went without a hitch, and since they had upgraded me to Business for the long flight, this much shorter one (still 3 1/2 hours tho) bumped me into 1st class: nice, wide seats and to my surprise, a served, warm meal! the rest of the plane got the option to buy those meal boxes, but I was able to have Peach crepes. and they were good! (but it was too much food) landing in San Francisco, I had about 3 hours until my connecting flight to Beijing. . . which was a good thing, as the walk from my terminal to the gate for the international flight took almost 30 minutes. (the gates are NEVER close to each other. . LOL). took this pic of the plane I had gotten off of as I passed it walking from domestic into the international terminal. I wasn't really hungry, but I had almost 2 hours to kill, so hung out in the lounge there and eventually had a light snack here too. I'd been really trying to lose some weight before China (so my big American butt would fit in the Chinese rides). . .but this was a bad start that I was already eating way too much. spoiler tho: I was only denied 5 things during the whole trip. . and really, it was only 3, because one I didn't even try (knew I was too heavy) and the other I was *just* below the weight limit, but I didn't want to argue with them, so just said ok and stepped aside to take pictures instead of riding. beautiful day tho. . . so wasn't expecting any issues. hahahaha. . yeah. some of the SF Airport artwork as I headed to my gate. which as noted, was the ass end of the airport, and down the stairs. but at least made it and the flight showed on time still. the Polaris Business Class on United is amazing. Even tho I tend to get claustrophobic in these "bathtubs". . these ones seemed OK, since I was the only one on this side, and there was no "door" so it was open. the seat reclines all the way down and slides forwards and turns it into a flat bed for sleeping. they give you so much stuff, it took some rearranging to fit in. but I enjoyed my glass of champagne while boarding. then we sat. and sat some more. and sat some more. the pilot came on multiple times to tell us that we were holding for the wind to let up, but he hoped we could take off. luckily I wasn't the only one on the China TPR trip, as Shane and his son Fischer were also on board, and also in Business class, so we chatted while we sat. I got an alert from United offering us a $25 (I think?) coupon to use in the terminal to get a snack, but it must be used today. and I walked up to Shane's seat and said - "they're gonna make us deplane" not even 20 minutes later, we got the announcement that the crew had timed out, and we all had to deplane, and to come back to the same gate in about 3 hours, as they had already called a new flight crew. the conspiracy theorist in me thinks it had something to do with Air Traffic Controllers (as my prior pic showed, it was a beautiful day. . and other flights were taking off.. so very odd, the "wind" was only affecting the one runway that we HAD to use, because the other one was under construction). anyways, we took all our carry ons off, and since we were all Business class, we 3 headed back to the lovely United Lounge in the international terminal to hang out and wait. exhausted already - and not even on the 14+ hour flight - but sending proof of life home to Jim and telling him what's going on. eventually, we made our way back down to the gate at the new time, and tho they were late getting boarding going - we started boarding moments after the flight crew came in, but interestingly just after the door steward had announced that they were delaying boarding so they could finish cleaning the plane (yes, the same plane we had been on earlier). so this is me not really trusting them, but trying not to panic, that if the flight got cancelled, how the heck was I gonna get to China in time for the food tour I had booked on the day after my arrival? but eventually, we did back away from the gate. . and about 6 1/2 hours after we were supposed to have left, we finally took off and headed towards Beijing. here's a peek at the menu - they really do love to feed ya on international flights. I didn't have everything - I was simply too full. but I did have the beets salad: the prawns: a few cold brews: and tho I watched a few movies, and never sleep on flights, I actually did lay the chair down into bed position and napped for about an hour or so. woke up to desert snack service (that I passed on), and this beautiful sunrise out my window. I did give in and try the grilled cheese for the 2/3rds flight snack (it looked way better than it was, and funnily Shane, Fischer, and I had all gotten it and all had the same opinion of it). we were starting to pass over cities . . .and were supposed to land soon only ~7 hours after we had been supposed to arrive. . but hey, we were here! and the perk of arriving so late, was that the terminal was pretty empty. Which made getting thru Customs and immigration a breeze Shane had arranged a car, and the driver had been following along with our flight delays.. thank goodness he was there waiting for us, when we finally came out of arrivals. we all breathed a sigh of relief, and piled into the car, for the drive to the hotel we were staying in pre-trip. a Hilton, as had been recommended by Elissa. not sure if it was because we arrived so much later than intended, or what.. but I ended up in a HUGE corner suite for the night. . .for a super reasonable (ie: inexpensive) price. really, the room was big: the first of many hotels that had the bathroom/shower open to the main room. yes, you could pull out the sliding panels to block it off, but it seemed to be a thing in China, that one would be able to watch someone in the bathroom (tho not on the actual toilet - in most cases) if one chose to. most all of the hotels on this trip provided bottled water, so never really worried about getting sick (and didn't really, luckily). the view from my corner room. at this point i was exhausted. . so after a shower and a call home to let Jim know I had arrived safely (14 hour time difference, so my 1am was his late 3pm) I climbed into bed and was out cold. I had a food tour booked in the morning, and had to check out and meet Elissa in the lobby by 11. tho I did get up to pee during the night, and the toilet freaked me out enough by opening up to greet me and lighting up, that I grabbed my phone from the charger, and snapped some pics. freaky let the adventure begin!!

Canada's Wonderland has announced that they will be holding a season pass sneak preview event from 5pm to 1pm on Friday, May 1st, 2026. ?

Tokyo Disney Resort has shared an aerial construction image (captured in late January 2026) as well as the concept art for the new Space Mountain set to open in Tokyo Disneyland in 2027! https://x.com/TDR_PR/status/2032260980210864348 The new "Space Mountain" is getting ready to welcome you. A new "Space Mountain" is scheduled to open in 2027! Along with concept art, we present photos of the new "Space Mountain" and its surroundings, taken around late January 2026. I'm really looking forward to seeing you all again

we were on Brilliance of the Seas a smaller ship, but that meant less kiddos

good report! I too enjoyed that mountain coaster on Labadee when was there in Feb 2025. as you note, the views are amazing.

Remember they let TWO original parks go. The Fair half of Cedar Fair was also sold off along with the 3rd Six Flags.

Yeah, an article floating around about Great Escape said Enchanted will gain access to the park within 4-6 weeks to start the changeover so I assume St. Louis is on a similar timeline too.

Ha, ha yeah we do!!

both can be true! tho I love that you drive, ya gotta admit, we have a BLAST together, and so yes, you are tops as an "event partner"

Poor SFA wondering what they did wrong to be sold off for crap instead of purchased!

Nice!

Universal Studios Japan and The Pokémon Company have announced that new Pokémon experiences will be coming to Universal Studios Japan. These new experiences promise innovation and immersion and build upon the offerings that Universal and Pokémon have hosted at Universal Studios Japan since 2021. The announcement also hints that more Pokémon experiences will be added to Universal Destinations & Experiences properties across the globe. https://www.usj.co.jp/company/company_e/news/2026/0122/ Universal Studios Japan and The Pokémon Company today announced their plan to offer more innovative, immersive, and world-class Pokémon experiences. The project is part of Universal Studios Japan’s ongoing effort to enhance its offerings and bring fan-first, trip-driving characters to the park. Universal Studios Japan is proud to build on its prior success and bring to life the world of Pokémon in new and enriching ways for the first time. Following its debut in Japan, Universal Destinations & Experiences will deliver unique Pokémon experiences across the company’s global footprint. Further details about the project will be announced at a later date. Mark Woodbury, Chairman and CEO, Universal Destinations & Experiences “Collaborating with imaginative and inventive storytellers fuels our ability to create and deliver mind-blowing attractions and experiences that shatter guest expectations. The Pokémon Company is one of the most beloved interactive franchises in the world, and through our ongoing partnership, we will continue bringing its vibrant world to life in new and innovative ways for years to come.” Tak Murayama, Executive Vice President & General Manager, USJ LLC. “Since October 2021, Universal Studios Japan has been delivering Pokémon experiences such as parades and shows to guests from around the world. A bold new global project is set to begin at Universal Studios Japan, creating unprecedented and innovative experiences in collaboration with Pokémon—a beloved franchise born in Japan and cherished worldwide. We are proud to launch this journey from Japan, delivering extraordinary moments filled with surprise and excitement that will far exceed our guests’ expectations. We believe this global project will transcend traditional entertainment and contribute meaningfully to society, embodying the very spirit of ‘NO LIMIT!’” Tsunekazu Ishihara, President and CEO, The Pokémon Company "Since announcing our long-term alliance in 2021, we have collaborated with Universal Studios Japan to produce authentic Pokémon experiences such as the NO LIMIT! Parade and Halloween shows. As Pokémon celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, we are thrilled to launch this new project at such a significant milestone. Our mission is to enrich both the real and virtual worlds through Pokémon, and with this project, we aim to create theme park entertainment that surprises and delights fans around the globe." ABOUT UNIVERSAL DESTINATIONS & EXPERIENCES Universal Destinations & Experiences, a unit of Comcast NBCUniversal, offers guests around the world the most innovative, immersive and popular entertainment experiences. Our portfolio is comprised of world-class theme parks featuring the industry’s most thrilling and technologically advanced attractions, exceptional hotels and resorts, unique merchandise, games, virtual and live entertainment experiences. We use our rich collection of stories and franchises – from Universal Pictures, Illumination, DreamWorks Animation and more – to take people to places they couldn’t imagine while creating memorable and emotionally fulfilling moments for people of all ages. Learn more here. ABOUT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN Universal Studios Japan is wholly owned by Comcast NBCUniversal. Universal Studios Japan has succeeded in establishing its position as a prominent entertainment and leisure landmark, drawing many guests from distant areas in Japan and overseas. Universal Studios Japan offers world-class entertainment, such as authentic attractions and shows, based not only on Hollywood blockbusters but also popular entertainment brands such as Japanese anime and a variety of seasonal events, entertaining its guests with the world’s highest quality entertainment. Through “Super Emotional” and “Super Exciting” experiences made possible only at Universal Studios Japan, all park visitors are given the opportunity to break out of their shells and be “Super Energized” in the “Super Energetic District” that is Universal Studios Japan. Universal Studios Japan has continued to evolve since its opening in 2001. It has recently accelerated its growth with the launch of world-class entertainment experiences such as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, The Flying Dinosaur, which soars through the entire Jurassic Park area, Minion Park, and the “Hacha Mecha Ride” where guests are able to enjoy the chaotic antics of the Minions, and SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, where guests can unleash their passion to play in an immersive environment based on world-renowned Nintendo characters and their worlds. ABOUT The Pokémon Company The Pokémon Company was established to manage the Pokémon brand. Currently, the company develops and produces video games, which is where Pokémon originates, as well as trading card games, animated TV series and movies, merchandise, tie-up promotions, events, and the Pokémon Center, directly managed Pokémon shops.

Day 3: Continued. . . across from the corn was the first time I really got to see the treats on a stick that I'd get to know across many parks to come: LtR: Potato with mayo, Potato with ketchup, Potato, hot dog / sausage made pretty and spices, and fried cheese on a stick (sometimes with a hotdog inside, sometimes not), also along the bottom various filled "pancake". also a delicacy: Squid on a stick. we weren't gonna eat just yet, as were still full from breakfast. but I WAS intrigued by the "Rainbow EPCOT" Mexican restaurant. Which seemed to serve "authentic Mexican Pho" LOL behind it was a giant Frisbee tho. . so we decided to go on that. as it had no wait today it was a fun, tho short cycle, and gave a great view of the Waterpark on one side and some wonderful views across the central lake at the rest of the park. here's the top of Crystal Wing (under the water park slide), the Family Inverted, and the most you can see of the SLC (Golden Wings Over the Snowfield), across the lilly filled lake and looking back towards the "Mexican restaurant", the B&M Hyper here comes the train! let's see if I can get splashdown from this angle. . . yup! as we continued around the park after our ride on the Frisbee, we entered into Frontier Town area. . which had some . . . um. . . . "problematic" theming. I thought it was shockingly hysterical, and they were all the nicest people! so of course I snapped some pics. this looked like another show, but the times listed seemed to be only for weekend operations. but I did peek into the entry to snap a pic of the stage. Dying to know what the show would have been like (I have to look that up) based on the next group of folks that were "themed" Yup. . cavewomen in raised huts with Corn, holding bones. ? or a leopard skin purse. . . although. . this IS the kind of theme park job I'd totally sign up for "lay in a hut all day and wave to people" LOL this was a huge, and impressive, water feature on the side of the stage building. it really was massive, and I *guess* it's Speak no Evil, Hear no Evil, See no Evil ? and I DO love me a throne my fist official exposure to smelly Tofu. we didn't try it hear, but here is where I was able to really put the smell together with what it was, so I always knew when I was near a stand selling it. (and yes, I did try it later in the trip, and I liked it). I honestly have very little memory of this ride. i THINK it was a boat ride that was kinda like "it's a small world" ? I have some pics from outside, and a pic in the queue, but absolutely none from the ride itself. not even ones that came out blurry or bad, I just didn't take any. which implies I was very unimpressed by it. or maybe my feet just hurt, and I was focusing on sitting in the boat? or maybe my Battery was dying and I wanted to save it for Carousel pics? anyways. .here's the outside of "Happy World" and a couple of queue pics. there seemed to be an entire show building / museum here, and tho it looked interesting, it was more important to eat something and get a few other things in. so we bypassed this. my goal (really at most parks, especially if they have a unique carousel) OMG. .these Horses! and it's a double decker. . tho they only operated the bottom Stacy rode with me we were really getting hungry, but this thing next door to the Carousel caught our eye. what the hell is it? "Flying Cake". .. a stand up Rockin Tug type ride! which looked like it was once Surf themed before it got moved to this area, and hadn't been rethemed other than the base of it ONLY to add these two figures. . .HA! not gonna lie tho. . it was really fun, and I'm glad we stopped and rode it. never been on anything like it before. a look at the closed today Crystal Wing track, and the B&M flyer across the lake from "Flying Cake" Crystal Wing theming. . as we headed towards the front to eat something. ohhh.. some street entertainment going on here in the cookie/bakery section. . so we stopped and watched for a moment. and then went up to the front where there were about a dozen "food cart" stands. . all standing empty. But the operators were in the back of the carts, and when they saw a customer come up, they came out and greeted you. still being very early in the trip, I opted for more traditional Chinese street food for my lunch. (a pancake that had a lot of different things in it) Stacy stuck more to traditional noodles. what mine looked like once I got it in a cup and William had dumplings. the park was playing some "interesting" music up near the front where the food stands were. . including this nearly 8 minute mix of a song that seemed to be called "put your ass in the air" it was very catchy, and eventually got to me AAJM2130.MP4 getting close to the meet up time, in chatting with someone, they mentioned that the big building we had passed was a large indoor section. so we went over to check it out with about 30 minutes to spare. it really was a really large area. and it appeared that at one point the park did have a junior coaster in here, but now it was just a virtual one, so we passed. but a Dumbo type ride, a small frisbee ride. . . and then an Air Race on top of a gift shop! if we hadn't' just eaten, I totally would have ridden the Air Race. but luckily there's one close-by at Fiesta Texas. . so I didn't' mind skipping it. and then it was time to meet up at the front gate and head out to the next destination. (for those of us who wanted to go to Tiananmen Square) while others went sight seeing on their own, or stayed in the park for a bit longer. to be Concluded. . .

Day 3: Happy Valley Beijing for most of day, and a visit to Tiananmen Square: up and out early, as once again, we had a pretty full day planned. but we had a bit of a later start this morning, so Stacy and I headed down to the breakfast buffet and found these charming donuts this am. on the way back up to the room to change for the day, I remembered that I had yet to snap a picture of the fountain in front of the Universal Studios Grand Hotel. So popped out to grab this one. as we headed back down, we passed over the lines for guests to queue for entry to Universal Studios Beijing. this is the regular line, about 2 hours before opening. on a Wednesday. yeah. . . on to the bus, and headed out to the park chain that is basically "the Six Flags" of China: Happy Valley. a shortish drive later, and we were pulling up to the front gates of Happy Valley Beijing. to be honest, I don't recall seeing very many of these guys in the park. . and one of the ones I DO recall seeing, is on the outside of a long ago removed ride. but they must be popular, as the park still has them out front on the marquee to greet guests. the first (but for sure NOT the last) school group we would encounter whilst visiting a Chinese park on a weekday. lots and lots of kids, tho I don't recall this park being particularly crowded. . . but some later parks were just swarmed with lots of kids who only knew enough English to say "Hello" and "Where are you from" (I told them Canada) all in all tho, the kids were (mostly) adorable, and polite, and I was glad to see so many having a good time at amusement parks. again tho, I don't recall this park today being slammed with groups. Pic Courtesy of Robb - TPR and our guide ready to enjoy Happy Valley. before the gates open, the Happy Valley parks all seemed to put on a "show" at the front gate. and then the performers move to the sides to greet guests as they come thru the turnstiles. of course, for me? that's a photo op! so I went back and forth to all of them - most in Anime or Horror themed outfits for the Season - to snap pics. they were genuinely surprised that I wanted to take pictures with them instead of just of them. (something I encountered quite a bit in China. I found it rather charming). she was a Spider. . LOL and this one? oh, I SO wanted her jacket. past the main gates, and into the park itself! not sure why the creepy orange is here? never saw him anywhere else in the park. This giant coaster (which seemed to have a clone in every Happy Valley we were gonna visit) is "Extreme Rusher" - a unique S&S Air-launch coaster. that has been SBNO since Oct 2023 (when there was a minor train collision in the station, and the State shut down all of these coasters). so yeah. . it's a huge not-operating coaster, front and center when you first enter the park. Don't think it will ever reopen (here or at any other Happy Valley parks), which is a shame as it IS rather unique. the park at least tried to "hide" the load station by plopping this giant "stage / photo op" thing in front of it. the waterpark off to the right was closed for the season already, but it looked like a decent size. and more Giraffes. . must be good luck in China? a peek at the "Scare" map for the "not-Halloween, but spooky" events: the "Woah!appy Festival" most of the walkthru things advertised were upcharges - something we saw at a lot of other parks too. but to be fair, the upcharge was only a few bucks here or there. photo op? yes please! this was the first store we came to, and peeked in just to see what kind of things were being sold. we were absolutely blown away by this store, so went thru as if it were an attraction. at the store exit, was a robot coffee machine. (the coffee was TERRIBLE. . but hey, a robot made it!) looking over to the center of the park, here's a peek at Crystal Wing - the park's B&M Flying Coaster. (it's a SFOG Superman clone, but has a unique setting in and out of that mountain fortress). unfortunately, it wasn't open today. not too upset, as it's a clone of something I've ridden (and I don't count coasters anyways). . . but it was really one of the VERY few coasters that weren't operating on this trip. so all in all, we had incredible luck . it's even the Superman colors. . . more Giraffes and one last look at the Crystal Wing area, before heading back across the bridge to the park, where the pathway goes around the outside. this section was themed to Candy / baking / sweets stuff kinda terrifying, but at least it doesn't have eyes really well designed area with an utterly charming carousel! and some "spooky" photo ops up. it was a little drizzly, but I do think this opened later in the day. really enjoy the names of some of these rides but here is the first (operating) coaster we would get to in the park. the uniquely named: "Family Inverted Coaster" it's a B&M inverted that does some fun helixes. . and fun fact, they are building one just up the road from me at SWSA - so I'll get to ride a version of this any time I want. it wasn't exactly "fluffy friendly". .but I did fit on it. and oh my. .that Pop Tart cop thing on the sign, DOES have eyes. creepy as hell. I know it's painted to fit the theme of the area.. but it looks SO great. then we continued onward around the park. I recognized these guys from the statue out front, and learned that this used to be the facade for a spinning mouse coaster called "Harvest Time" which closed in 2014, and was removed in 2017. but apparently the facade was well loved, so they just kept it in place for this area. not sure what (if anything) they ever built back in the space where the coaster was) what used to be the ride entrance "blocked by rocks". . . LOL the aesthetic in this park is wonderful tho. . . so many beautiful things to look at! that turn around up ahead is the Park's B&M Hyper Coaster. . but we're headed to that white track on the left. . yeah, an SLC. shudder and here it is. Fantastic name and all: "Golden Wings over the Snowfield - Suspended Roller Coaster" a lot of it is hidden by foliage. below here is one of the upcharge haunts. the long queues were very well themed: but at the end of the day, it's still an SLC. but I will happily admit it was a very GOOD SLC. with lots of padding, and little to no headbang due to such good padding. two of the four operating coasters done, we headed to the B&M Hyper next fantastic name for the Bumper Cars "Snowland Survival". . but that's where the theming ended for this one. lots of scare stuff set up on the path tho, for enjoyment. this we had been told about, this was the park's included walk thru Haunt attraction: the Ghost Cave so we stopped to go thru as we passed it. I asked and was told was ok to take pics, so this was the start of many Haunt Pics I took over the rest of the trip. what can I say, I love em. especially when the triggers for the effects are working. which they did in most all of the houses. Noted! Andrew, Chris, Stacy, and myself being "scared" I was trying to get the Nemo transportation car, but instead got this beautiful cherry blossom theming I believe this was a food court type of restaurant but the GIANT B&M Lift hill overhead was distracting. finally made it to the entrance to the B&M Hyper: "Flight of the Himalayan Eagle - Music Roller Coaster" yup. .it had onboard audio whilst you ride (and a splashdown too). it was a great coaster. we were only here until early afternoon, so no time for shows (the rides were more important to me), but this looked like it was a stunt show of some kind. adorbs! spoooooky! looking thru Flight of the Himalayan Eagle's track, to see Family Inverted Coaster running, and the SBNO Extreme Rusher track. but was able to catch the Splashdown The train didn't seem to be operating today, but I liked they had an engine out for pics down this way was the train station. . . but again, didn't appear to be operating today. the final operating coaster at the park today was "Jungle Racing" a Vekoma Mine Train. and per RCBD? it's now been closed as of November 2nd. . so we barely got it before they closed it down! which is weird, because I remember all the mine trains on this trip being pretty dang good, and the one at a later Happy Valley being the smoothest Mine Train I've ever been on. but I'm really glad I got to ride this one. great setting and queue too. leaving the Jungle Racing coaster, I was able to get a better pic of the Nemo transport. still with no one riding in it tho. and then? the corn OMG. . the CORN!!!! to be continued. . .

Day 2 part 2: back on the bus, we were headed to lunch. This would be the first of many group meals we were gonna have on this trip (a change from many prior TPR trips I'd been on, in that we only had a couple of group meals. . . on this trip there would be many of them, mostly in office buildings that were set up to handle tour group style trips). I honestly really enjoyed these "lazy susan" meals. There were always lots of options, at various levels of "spice". . and if we wanted to go off and have truly specific types of Chinese food, we could always get a meal in the evenings. but these lazy susan meals were perfect in that there was always something that somebody liked to eat in the options. here is where our first group meal was pretty neat design on the building, I thought. Didn't get a pic before we all dived in. . but here's my one attempt at the main food on the table. I DID remember to take a picture of my plate. the winner here was that Bok Choy/ Chinese Cabbage, which I loved, and seemed to be on most lazy susan dinners. so I was glad I discovered I loved it early in the trip wasn't a fan of these dumplings, but I tried almost everything on the entire trip. (there was really only one thing I refused to try, and I'll get to that in Hong Kong (eventually)) the surprise in this first meal is that Elissa and the guide arranged for us to have true Peking Duck in China! the Chef wheeled it into the room and sliced it thin, right behind us here were the thin pancakes and the veggies that you are supposed to put on the strips of duck to eat them. to be honest, I didn't really care for it. oh, it was good, but a bit too fatty for my tastes. . . not to worry tho, as the Chef left the room and came back in with these two that he called "the Sisters" and these two were gloriously crispy and made up for anything I thought the first duck lacked in terms of texture. I absolutely adored this, and was only a bit sad that it came at the end of the meal and I was already pretty full. but the crispy duck was so, so good. Jonathan's pic of our happy table, most chewing food during pic. . LOL after the meal, and the culture, it was time for the theme park we were gonna go to today. a traditional Chinese park. very large, very spread out, and containing lots of individual rides, that were owned and operated by many different people. Sun Park. these were the "main gates" as far as I could tell. . . the park wasn't enclosed, and entry was really available from anywhere. it's a lovely setting. . tho so big, it really felt like we were the only ones in the park. Tho we did draw a crowd when we rode the Tagada as a group as we walked into the park from the lot, we spotted a star flyer, so I knew we were in the right spot (not that I don't trust Robb & Elissa to take us to great places regardless). this park is home to (supposedly) six operating coasters, and a couple of SBNO ones. we were gonna see what would operate for us, as it truly was a little hard to tell what was running and what had been abandoned. . . overall view of this large park. this was the first coaster we came too: Happy Journey Cars. there didn't really seem to be anyone around, but an operator came over, and spoke with Robb/Elissa, and they took a headcount on who wanted to ride, and the operator agreed to let adults ride, as long as it was only 1 per side. they looked like "spinning" cars, but they seemed to slowly rotate only once on the ride. it wasn't much of a layout, and to ME, this is a kiddie coaster. as I don't count credits, and don't tend to ride straight out kiddie coasters, I passed on this and just took pics as others rode. hey, it's got lions (for some reason) and Giraffes Anth was enjoying it. so were Steven, Colin, and Chris Johnathan was terrified, but Daniel is having a blast as were Colin and Adam Andy also took pics. as noted, the park seemed pretty empty on a Tuesday afternoon. . . this is the operator's wife, if I'm not mistaken, watching him run it for TPR. "Space Journey". . no idea what it was at one point, but it seemed to be abandoned now. this mini flume seemed to be likewise closed. . but I did see it running later that afternoon for a customer. oooo. . a wild mouse. well, actually this is "Jungle Mouse" and it has been sitting here SBNO (Standing But Not Operating) since 2023. so we weren't gonna get to ride this today. I think these had operators in case anyone wanted to ride, but no customers when we walked by. the large flume didn't quite look abandoned, but it didn't have any water or people around it either. so another no-go this is the largest coaster in the park, and tho it too, looked abandoned? there were people who appeared to be there to operate it if there were any takers. this is "Flying Coaster". . . tho it seemed to have a couple of different names, and is a Moto Coaster (underneath it was a tiny 4D theater experience called "Tsunami" that was operated by the same owner. . but passed on that as it did not look like a good time) yeah.. they were drying laundry in between the coaster track, so the exit was closed to keep people from going out that way) but it's a moto coaster. they fired it up for us, and I don't recall them even testing it - they just opened it up, and then discussed (a lot) about restraints while they decided if it was gonna kill us or not - I assume. LOL they only loaded up the front half of the train. . . but here we are smiling. (this was before anyone had ridden it, we were the first riders of the day apparently.. . possibly the month?) I mean, it LOOKED like it might be decent. I was thinking Pony Express at Knotts sorta and you ride it kinda like "Tron" style. here's Hawk & Dove, and Daniel and Elissa all smiles on the ride after ours. yeah..I felt for them. it was . . . um. . . . not good. for a ride with mainly Helixes? the transitions are rough, and it was really shaky. . but it IS a large coaster, and looks good. I will admit, being off ride for this run? the groans and grunts as the train passed over us WAS pretty funny. yeah. .that smiling Daniel pic from the launch? I caught him after the ride before he saw the camera and smiled. LOL. . true feelings on the ride two down. . apparently 4 to go! let's try to find them. I was tempted by this, but we were on a mission as a group, and since this isn't a pay one fee park, we had to stay together as Elissa was paying each operator for rides. so didn't even attempt to ride this tho it was running. I was impressed with how much signage they have in the park. and how most of it has English as well. next coaster found (also a kiddie, so I didn't ride this one either): Fruit Worm Coaster but most of the folks on this trip lined up to ride it interesting Seashell themed Tilt a Whirl next door, that looked to be in pieces. wow. .this is a FUNKY transition here. . . John and Bill enjoying the ride with Colin, Adam, and Andy bringing up the rear there were several of these in the park at different locations. . and none of them seemed to be operating. maybe they are busier on a weekend? but some folks were out fishing in the lakes not "Free Willy" but "Free Whale".. a kiddie whale themed swinging ship. that looked like it was about to fall apart, but DID have an operator standing by to run it if asked! coaster #4 was also a kiddie coaster: "Rainbow Children Coaster" tho honestly, it was more of a family coaster thank a kiddie and I should have ridden. but I was feeling a little shook from the Moto Coaster full, so passed on this one too. it had some interesting theming: with a monkey on the front (sharing it's Banana with Steve) I think I had a stroke reading this sign. . .LOL as a tourist, I made sure to read the notice before participating! there were several small trains I saw in this park. . all adorable, but none of them operating today the Carousel was a double decker set up to run in opposite directions (as this was the first one I'd seen "in the wild" in China, I didn't realize that the double decker, running in opposite directions - tho only one side at a time - was pretty standard in China). it sadly looked like it hadn't operated in a long while, tho it seemed to be in pretty good condition. saw this "game" at a lot of places. . . children "fishing" for gold fish. cute. it was getting late in the afternoon and the park was closing down, but we still had two potential coasters if we could find them. first a potty break tho. so yeah, another toilet pic at the big pavilion in the center of the park, there seemed to be a photo shoot going on for wedding planners. with lots of "brides" and "grooms" Robb found out where the last coaster was (the other one was not operating) and we headed over there, bypassing this Tagada. which was running - and we did end up going back as a group and riding after Robb/Elissa slipped the operator some cash to open up for us after close time. so I got to ride my first Tagada on this trip. it ran a really gentle cycle, but was perfect for my first one. and as noted earlier, we drew quite the crowd who came over to watch the "ghosts" ride this is the coaster that was "new" and not in operation. "Crazy Skateboard" apparently replacing the ride that had been there - seemingly the exact same model, also called "Crazy Skateboard" note the workmen on the lift hill. .they were not only painting, but *welding*.. . but with encouragement, Robb and Elissa went and talked to them and there was some discussion on if they could open it up for riders. (RCDB still listed it as not open/unknown) across from it was the last coaster in the park: "Space Scooter" - that one had already shut down for the day, but when they saw the crowd around the Crazy Skateboard while Robb and Elissa talked to them, the operator offered to open it up for us, if TPR wanted to ride. so they started testing it again. the Star Flyer also seemed to open back up. . tho we didn't ride it, several of the models from the wedding photoshoot did come over and ride. "Space Scooter" testing and with TPR on it! as mentioned. . Star Flyer now going too. . which started to draw some folks over to this part of the park. Robb and Elissa had worked their magic, and the coaster guys agreed to run Crazy Skateboard for us.. .and started testing it. the cars weren't set up to "spin" yet, so it was a non spinning coaster, but they tested it, and then gave the OK. notice our tour guide Paul, laughing in the bottom corner. that's likely because as you can see on the steps? the workmen just put the blowtorches down, and stepped away to see what would happen if they operate it. Robb and these folks are FAR more brave than I. I (and a couple of others) decided not to take a chance on this, and chose NOT to ride this. It was really the beginning of my trip, I didn't want to take any risks for any reason. . but good on them for giving it a shot. and absolutely hysterical watching the workmen "nod" as the car crested the lift hill with no issue. there are the workmen watching the first car with people in it. . . Barry has just noticed the Blowtorch sitting on the steps as they passed by it. they survived! yay!!! most everyone else on the trip gave it a whirl (tho not a spin, as the spinning wasn't working yet)..and the folks riding it drew more folks to this ride as well, as they eagerly lined up to ride something that had been "not operating" yet. after the Tagada ride, and with the sun starting to set, Robb, Elissa, and some in the group were headed back to Universal Resort. some went to dinner or to sightsee in downtown Beijing. and a group of about 10 of us wanted to go visit the Olympic Green - site of the 2008 Summer Olympics, and 2022 Winter Olympics. The metro would take us back to Universal later. lovely sunset made the buildings around Sun Park look very interesting to be concluded. . .

Day 2: Forbidden City, Lunch, and Sun Park! Bonus visit to Olympic park area this night with smaller group too. Day 2 part 1: up and ready to go, but first, breakfast! another character from Despicable Me. . one of the girls, no idea which one tho this time I remembered to snap a pic of some of the food on my plate before diving in and then it was everyone onto the bus, as we headed back into Central Beijing from the Universal Resort area. today was gonna start with Culture, and end with our first "traditional" Chinese park. view of some of the massive clusters of buildings as you approach the outskirts of Beijing this is where it starts to get interesting, as we get into the "inner walls" area of the City, over the Canal guardians. the building on the far left is the Southeast Corner Tower, of the Beijing Ming City Wall. it's over 550 years old, and anchors an area called "Beijing Ming City Wall Ruins Park" - that features an almost 1 mile long section of the Beijing City wall from the Ming Dynasty. we didn't stop to see it, but got a great view of it as we passed it on our way to the nearby Forbidden City. closer view of the southeast corner tower and some snaps of the actual wall, as we drive along side it. the tightening Security is VERY noticeable as we get closer to the Forbidden City Imperial Palace - a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is arguably the most famous palace in all of Chinese history, and is the largest preserved royal palace complex still standing in the world. (per Wikipedia). tour buses and cars are not allowed within a few blocks of the Forbidden City, so a tourism spot has sprung up in the blocks around it, as buses and taxis drop of groups that then walk to the front entrance. so these next pics are walking from the drop off, up to the palace walls. the "fruit on a stick" encased in Sugar seemed to be VERY popular in China, and saw it at every park we went to, and at many street stands. it basically is just fresh fruit and sugar, but it IS very good, and I had it several times. finally approaching the outside (side) wall of the Forbidden City. . tho we still had to go around to the front for entry we'd be heading up this way to go thru the gates around the corner for the main entrance / security screening but this is the inner canal that surrounds the Forbidden City. .the last line of defense against attack other than the high palace walls. TPR listening to facts from our guide about the Forbidden City. walking along the side wall to get to the front entrance it really is quite impressive from the outside. . and once you're inside, it's even more so - with courtyard after courtyard opening up, and seeming to go on for miles! some folks out doing photo shoots off the canal that goes around the Forbidden City still heading towards the main entrance and here are the main gates into the front of the Forbidden City - not into the actual palace, but into the area that gets you into the palace the "Door Nails" that the wonderful Dumpling I had the day before were named after! and NOW we're in the courtyard that serves as the main entrance to the Forbidden City complex. yeah and this was on a TUESDAY!!! just the crowds were impressive this is the security screening line to get it and have tickets scanned thru these main gates, you are then in the Palace grounds our guide, with her "fish on a stick" so we wouldn't lose her in the masses of people! to see it with your own eyes. . truly, you aren't prepared for the sight once you go thru this tunnel. breathtaking and this is just the first, of many, courtyards a quiet back alley off the main square (we had all gone to the side for a bathroom break) the people lined up in these stanchions are for entrance to the building just off to the right, and it's to view the Imperial Jewels. A separate ticket (and wait) was required for that, so we didn't do that on this trip - perhaps a visit back just for that in the future. . .but I saw enough stunning things to not miss at all not going into the Imperial Jewels building. up the stairs and thru these buildings to the next courtyard over the beautiful carved bridges. TPR at the Forbidden City - thanks to Robb for the picture up and thru to the next courtyard. and it's just as breathtaking and awe inspiring as the entry courtyard up the next set of stairs, and we come across flame pots to light and warm the complex and thru to another courtyard. this one including a building with intricate woodwork laced with gold, and containing a throne (it was gated off, but the doors were open to peek in. there were SO many people there tho, I got the best pics I could of said throne) these giant golden / bronze vats that were used to store oil were on either side of many of the "main" buildings in each square. Our guide told me that these are replicas, but they are all so worn from visitors rubbing them for luck. all of the buildings in the Forbidden City complex are beautifully detailed, and have intricate carvings on each corner, that represent many things (that I can't recall, or would share with you) going into the next courtyard - that building way, WAY off in the distance? is part of the complex. . that's how big this palace is. but that far back is not open to the Public, which only can view a portion of the Palace. Oh, it's a HUGE portion of the complex, but not even close to a third of it. stepping down into the next courtyard. it truly is awe inspiring and overwhelming looking down into yet another courtyard, as we made our way thru the areas open to the public this carving up the back side of one of the main buildings in this courtyard is made from just 3 giant pieces of stone. it's incredible. one of the many maps in the Forbidden City. This one just for the Inner court courtyards. our guide specifically wanted to bring us down this way - saying it would be less crowded, as many aren't aware it's here (and she was correct) she wanted to show us into this building/vault that contains some really amazing Jade carvings. just a sampling of the wonderful pieces on display here: and then it was off to the back of the "open to the public" areas - the Imperial Garden area - where the Emperor allowed his Concubines to relax, and play (since they were confined to Imperial Palace grounds) it really was a bit of surprise to turn the corner and find these amazing gardens back here! and with that, we had walked a (mostly) straight line thru the public areas in the Forbidden City, and headed towards the back gate. we were off to have our first group lunch on the trip before heading to the next stop. I am so thankful I got to experience this, it truly is a wonder to see in person. one of the other buildings off in the distance that's part of the Imperial Palace / Forbidden City the back exit gate is just as crowded, but less chaotic than the front entrance an overall map of the palace sections that are open to the public walking back towards the bus. . one final look back at the Forbidden City to be continued. . .

pics from yesterday's visit for "Feliz Fiesta" during Holiday in the Park. (and yes, they got TONS of lights from SFA - I asked and was confirmed that the Texas parks got things from several other parks as well that were no longer doing Holiday in the Park) the park is looking amazing, and the shows remain top notch! Majesty of Christmas, and the Dickens shows alone are worth price of admission, tho all the other shows are great as well. because of Texas Department of Transportation sending out a crapload of warnings about how I10 & Loop 1604 (ie: right were the park is) being closed all weekend for construction, we allowed just over 2 hours for the trip to the park from Austin today. so of course, we were so early that even tho the cones were up, they hadn't started any work yet, and traffic flowed - resulting in us being the first ones at the park, and stopped at the entrance gate. so we took advantage to get out of the car, and snap this pic which typically you only can get while driving by. but after about 15 minutes, the parking gates opened and we headed in (with all the other folks that had backed up behind us). of COURSE, this was right when the Six Flags app decided to update, and that made getting thru the toll booths a nightmare - how nice Six Flags stopped handing out physical (hard card) passes JUST before they updated the app and made it a huge mess to access your digital stuff. note: we did chat with mgmt about this during the day as lots of folks had issues, so it came up. they are aware of issues, and are working on solutions, so "please stand by" anyways, the park looks great. the Day ended up being PERFECT (low 70s after a week of temps in the 40s and 50s), and the construction kept many away from the area, resulting in a very crowd comfortable day. lots and lots of photo ops thru the park. as mentioned, I'm guessing some of them came from other parks no longer doing HitP and no trip to SFFT is complete without a stop in to say hi to "miss Connie" in Sangerfest halle. she's a celebrity, and my friends all know I tend to go there first to get a pic. after 1st rides of the day on Chubacabra, those of us attending Feliz Fiesta got to go backstage for a tour of the construction site that I posted yesterday. as part of that tour, we also got to go down into the Gully Washer reservoir (drained during the off season upkeep) for some fantastic shots of Iron Rattler's drops. and then it was time to eat something for lunch (as our dinner wasn't until almost 5). we headed into Blues BBQ, where here at Fiesta Texas, the Turkey Leg with stuffing is still included on the meal plan. and as it's Holiday in the Park? Santa was out all day, so we had to pop in and say hello. naughty bert! (and how fantastic that Santa played along) one of the shows in the main square. . I believe this was the Tinker-Belles and the wooden soldiers one of 3 large trees SFFT has on display. this one is at the end of the main avenue into the park (and the tinkerbelles stage is at the bottom) many, many characters were available today for Meet and Greets. not just the Looney Tunes in Holiday garb, but also multiple DC Heroes, and tons of Holiday themed characters. and the "handlers" are happy to take your phone to snap pics for you. this makes me laugh - this is what happens when they start snapping before you're ready for the picture. . . LOL durrrrrrrr. . . . . but we did get some great pics regardless another throne. .and I do love my thrones more characters. . a bit horrifying, I thought, but happy to take pics after this great meet and greet in DCU, I asked them how about an "action pose". .and that's the 2nd pic. they understood the assignment - particularly Flash walking back to the front for dinner in the picnic grove, caught the end of a Tinkerbelles & soldiers performance, and they were hanging around for pictures. and yet, ANOTHER throne. they must have gotten these from other parks. a night time shot of the tree at the end of the main corridor. here's the MAIN tree in the park, in Rockville, during the Tree Lighting ceremony (that includes fireworks, Looney Tunes characters, dancers, and Santa on the stage in front of it) .. oh, and "snow" Jim and I in front of the main tree, before heading into the Rockville High Theater to see the Dicken's show - one of the parks two signature HitP shows didnt' take any pics of the 1st part of the show, but it's a full on production with sets, dancing, and very good singing. the camera came out during Ghost of Christmas Future, as I love the design of it. ltr: Scrooge, Ghost of Christmas Present, Ghost of Christmas Past, Ghost of Marley, and Ghost of Christmas future. Scrooge seeing the error of his ways before he gets tossed into his own grave by Marley (oh. . "spoilers". . . LOL) after the show (and a few rides) we made our way up to the "big" theater in the park, for the amazing "Majesty of Christmas" - which, yes, includes live animals on stage in a wonderful production. after this show, the park was about to shut down, but attendees of Feliz Fiesta get some ERT on the CrackAxle coasters (Iron Rattler, Roadrunner Express, and Dr. Diabolical's Cliffhanger). . so we took the "Holiday Express" which is what they transform the train into, for a full loop around the park complete with Holiday songs and tons and tons of lights. including new this year, lights representing the 12 days of Christmas. . . that you pass on the train, AS the song is playing synched to what you are passing. so simple, but so effective and impressive. another photo op in front of Hurricane Harbor area and the 3rd and final tree, in Crackaxle, which I was told came from another park that is no longer doing HitP. it's a great event, and well worth going to.

Day 0 - Beijing Back alley food tour & bus to 1st basecamp hotel: Universal Studios Beijing! part 1 Elissa & Robb had found a local food tour company that was very highly rated, and had made plans to take the tour. She offered to anyone that was arriving early, if they wanted to join in, and I believe we had all 12 spots filled with TPR folks. after a great sleep (thanks to Tylenol PM to knock me out and help prevent jet lag), I got up and got my first look at the actual view from my room. pretty nice. it was nice and cool, and I had slept with windows cracked. . .was loving the weather. but I had an important task to take care of now that I was actually thru Immigration & Customs: China parks tend to be very restrictive on age/weight/height. so anything I could do to make myself look younger, I needed to do. Cutoff age was 49, so needed to look at least that young - or at least tell them I was that young if they asked. Some dyed hair, but for me, that meant shapewear (for weight, since they mainly eyeball), and cutting off the goatee, as I knew that would make me look much younger. and it did I made sure to take note of the warning on the Q-tips the hotel supplied, and was aware of my "ear socket and deep nostril" checked out, and had the hotel hold the bags (as we weren't headed over to Universal until ~3pm, and the food tour started at 11am). we met up in the lobby, and grabbed a pic with Robb, and the cow that was hanging out by the hotel front entrance: my roomie for this trip, Stacy, also did the food tour with us! with excellent Navigation from Elissa, we made our way over to the nearest metro station, and headed to the meeting spot for the food tour. random pics snapped while walking to the metro. this rail system was super easy to understand, and that was true of every major city we took the train in. and it was great to see so many things with English translations, even if the vast majority of the people did not speak English. (translator app is super helpful) we got to our stop about 40 minutes early, so we were cut loose to explore the area and meet back to start the tour at 11. the area in central Beijing is absolutely gorgeous the stop we were to meet at was apparently next to a pretty major landmark - the Central Axis and Wanning Bridge: all over the city there were little "workout" areas and many of them were being used by older folks staying in shape. Andrew and Jon too ! these folks were just hanging out on an afternoon putting on a performance in a music circle. myself and John - he was a huge hit over in China (especially among the kids). . they just hadn't seen a beard like this often. . so lots of folks snapping pics of him. the aforementioned music performance. and yes, the singer really did sound an awful lot like Yoko Ono singing. was very cool to hear tho, and the folks gathered were very appreciative. absolutely no idea why this "Patrick and Spongebob holding each other's cakey-butts" was on this bike, but I saw it several places around Beijing. perhaps a local "graffiti art" type image? Dancing Children, yay!!! Not today, as it was Sunday. . but later in the trip, we'd see so many children in the parks on school trips. back at the station, we snapped a pic with our food guide and then we were off! our first stop down an alley was this tiny (well, they were all pretty small, local places) noodle house. looking around the alley as our guide explained how this local place had been here for many years, and was very popular for their pulled noodles. a peek into the kitchen from the table I sat at. the 12 of us on the tour took up pretty much all the tables in this place, so we were able to learn about the food, and how it's made and should be eaten. mixing everything together. it smelled incredible. as someone who likes spicy, I added chili sauce to mine, but not until after tasting it first, to get the full flavor of the noodles yum! you can tell I just *hated* this the kewl side of the place being so small, is that the owner and chef came out and sat with us to watch us eat and judge our reactions. they were so surprised I asked if I could take their picture. (behind them are pics of Chinese celebrities who have come by this place for noodles) moving on towards our next stop, I did notice that some of the architecture in this neighborhood was very "heavy". . . what I'd expect from a Communist place. . but most of it was not. which made places like this stand out that much more. I truly was surprised how much i enjoyed the people and places in China, and found everyone to be just delightful. (well. . except for that one Disney saleswoman who couldn't understand I wanted to buy a medium shirt for my bf, and kept pointing to my belly and saying "too fat" when I tried to check out with the shirt). LOL our guide explained to us how most of these entrances we were passing in the alleys were homes, and the blue "studs" indicated wealth/prestige. . so the more of them, the higher the rank. many had 1 or 2, but a few had 4. then we turned onto a little strip center and into our 2nd stop: slightly bigger place, and we only took up two of the 4 long tables in here. some of the options, tho we were going to try the first one, a famous Beijing dish called a Door Nail Dumpling (because it looks like a door nail on the Forbidden City giant red doors) our guide explained the history of the dish, how it got it's name. . . and broke out a local alcohol - that was quite strong - for us to try. cheers! here are the Dumplings. and they were OMG so good. . . I think would rank way up there in the top 3 things I ate this entire trip. absolutely delicious back out into the main street, and down another alley way, and we were at our 3rd stop. this one just looked like a doorway. . but as you went back, it split off into multiple houses/restaurants. we sat at a table in the "courtyard". . and were served multiple dishes to make a meal. Pork (or chicken. . not sure which) oh, maybe that one is the chicken? lots of options on the table, and our guide explained the proper way to eat everything. these were a "desert". . which really tasted like a red bean marmalade. it wasn't bad, but it wasn't a favorite of mine. mainly because I really hate being sticky, and you can tell from just looking at these, how sticky it was. here she is explaining procedure to us again, everything was quite good. very low on the "spiciness" level (for me), but really great on flavor. as soon as was done, I had to go wash my hands (the sticky thing). . so got to see my first "traditional" Chinese toilet. ta-da! and then we were on our way back thru the alleys and back onto a main street for our final stop. it wasn't on the main floor tho. . it was on the rooftop (overlooking the historical landmark "Drum Tower") noted, ummmm. . . vampire policeman? I think? adorable that they put "cloud lights" above the stairs as you ascend three flights to the rooftop. the rooftop was lovely - and covered in Astroturf. yup, our final stop was Hot Pot (which many of us on this trip had never had before). . with beef, pork, and tofu options and ADORABLE mustard dipping sauce bowls the aforementioned Drum Tower view from the rooftop dining. food tour over, and myself full, fat, and happy, we headed back to the metro to grab our luggage from the Hilton, and head over to Universal via transfer bus that Elissa had booked. the front of the restaurant entrance that we went into for the rooftop dining. yeah. . the metro was a LITTLE more crowded on the ride back to the Hilton. but the transfer bus was there, and we loaded our luggage and spread out. the official trip didn't start till tomorrow, so 15 or so more folks would be meeting us later at the hotel. pics from the bus window as we left central Beijing (since the Universal resort is on the town outskirts) and it had been dark the night before, so I didn't get to see really any of the city just a tiny fraction of the apartment buildings, that stretched for miles in every direction around Beijing. and crossing over one of the multiple "moats" that surround the city. and then. . .glimpsed thru the window on the opposite side? we turned into Universal Beijing resort. to be continued. . .

Universal Studios Japan has announced that Minion Park at Universal Studios Japan will expand by 40% with the addition Illumination's Villain-Con Minion Blast. This new attraction will be similarly to the version found at Universal Studios Florida. https://www.usj.co.jp/company/company_e/news/2025/0425_2/index.html Since its opening in April 2017, a spectacular themed MINION PARK at Universal Studios Japan has been immensely popular. In Summer 2025, MINION PARK will expand by 40% its current size with an all-new area, based on Illumination’s Minions Film Franchise. At today's “MINION PARK” 8th anniversary fan event, the Park announced a series of surprises, including news of the area’s expansion, Grand Opening time and an overview of the Park's first-ever moving walkway* interactive blaster attraction, “Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast”. Approximately 300 enthusiastic fans of Illumination’s Minions gathered for the event and were Super Excited about the prospect of a new and unprecedented Minions experience. Illumination’s “Despicable Me” and “Minions” film franchises are immensely popular around the world, becoming the first animated film series to gross over 5 billion dollars at the worldwide box office. Since its opening in April 2017, the “MINION PARK” area at Universal Studios Japan has continued to evolve as one of the world's largest themed areas based on the world-famous “Minions” characters, with the introduction of “Freeze Ray Sliders” ride and a variety of seasonal programs, welcoming many guests from Japan and abroad. With this area expansion, Universal Studios Japan hopes that families and people of all ages will be able to experience the greatly enhanced “MINION PARK”. Please stay tuned for more information on the new area. *Ride attraction with moving walkway on which guests progress while standing. “Go For It!” Experience an Unprecedented Enhancement of Mayhem! MINION PARK will expand by 40% its current size with new area! MINION PARK will expand by 40% its current size with new area. In addition to the existing popular attractions in “MINION PARK” such as “Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem” and “Freeze Ray Sliders”, the new “Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast” will debut as an attraction guests of all ages can enjoy. In addition, there will be a number of new entertainment elements including snack stands and stores offering unique food and merchandise developed with mayhem in mind, only available in the new area that will make you want to “Go For It!” when you see it. “Go For It!” Blast your way to supervillain stardom! NEW ATTRACTION “Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast” The first moving walkway interactive blaster attraction in the Park's history debuts at Universal Studios Japan's MINION PARK, offering an exciting evolution of the popular Orlando attraction – now featuring new, exclusive content and enhanced gameplay features. Join illumination’s Minions at Villain-Con and encounter Belle Bottom, Jean Clawed and the rest of the Vicious 6 as you compete to become the newest member of their supervillain group. Use your E-Liminator X blaster and test your skill in this exhilarating, interactive attraction that requires no restraint. Simply stand on a moving walkway and blast your way through the competition as you cause maximum destruction and collect valuable loot. Whoever scores the most points will be on their way to supervillain stardom! It’s all-new fun at Minion Park at Universal Studio’s Japan. Attraction Information [Experience time] Approximately 7 minutes *People under 122cm must be accompanied by an adult. Children cannot be held in their arms. *Wheelchairs and strollers are permitted. However, electric wheelchairs are not permitted. “Universal Prime Annual Pass Grand Royal” holders Advance experience We are planning “Universal Prime Annual Pass Grand Royal” holders have a special opportunity that to enjoy the new area before grand open. Details, including the content of the experience, will be announced at a later date. https://www.usj.co.jp/web/en/us/attractions/illuminations-villain-con-minion-blast Blast your way to supervillain stardom in the new Illumination's Villain-Con Minion Blast attraction. Join Illumination's Minions at Villain-Con and encounter Belle Bottom, Jean Clawed and the rest of the Vicious 6 as you compete to become the newest member of their super villain group. Use your E-Liminator X blaster and test your skill in this fun, interactive attraction. It's all-new fun at Minion Park at Universal Studios Japan. Summer 2025—Minion Park gets even more mayhem! The famous Villain-Con trade show is taking place right here in Universal Studios Japan. And headlining the event is the Vicious Six, the world's most formidable team of super villains. Compete in an interactive blaster game to become the newest member of the Vicious 6 by causing maximum destruction and collecting loot. Whoever scores the most points will be their newest member. Happy blasting and may the worst villain win! You're going to be provided with an interactive E-Liminator X blaster. As you stand on the moving walkway, you're going to blast your way through 7 different scenes. Along the way you'll be able to switch between elemental blasts and more powerful launchers. Target power-ups to unlock new modes on your blaster so you can blast fire, electricity, and maybe even a few surprises! You can download the Villain-Con app to enjoy enhanced gameplay at Illumination's Villain-Con Minion Blast attraction and throughout Minion Park. This means you can actually sync your mobile phone with your blaster so you can choose your own villain avatar, track your score, upgrade your blaster, and more.