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Kings Island has announced the replacement for Boo Blasters on Boo Hill, "Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare," to open in 2026! https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2025/august/phantom-theater-opening-nightmare-coming-in-2026 The stage is set for guests to be ushered into a new but familiar chapter in Kings Island’s history as Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare will make its debut next spring. Located at the site of the park’s original Phantom Theater dark ride, the quirky characters and chaos from the original return, along with modern technology, enhanced scenic elements and expanded storytelling. The comedic and fast-paced family adventure begins with a dark and stormy night, setting the tone for the grand (and ghostly) re-opening of the haunted Phantom Theater. Inside, a long-awaited performance by Maestro, the theater’s resident organist, is set to begin. During the storm, a lightning strike unleashes the ghost notes – mischievous musical spirits that wreak havoc across the theater – from Maestro’s mighty pipe organ. With the help of head usher No Legs Larry, guests will take the role as a member of his team and ride in “enchanted opera boxes,” utilizing special spellbound flashlights to capture and return the ghost notes to the organ so the performance can begin on time. Along the way, the enchanted opera boxes travel through fully built dimensional scenes, including backstage areas, haunted hallways, dressing rooms and a fiery boiler room as they meet other performers who are ready to take the stage. From animatronic forms of Houdelini and The Great Garbanzo to Hilda Bovine and Lionel Burymore, the Phantom Theater’s beloved crew returns, getting caught in the chaos while guests simultaneously search for the ghost notes. New surprises await guests around every corner, including the introduction of Arpeggio, Maestro’s furry feline friend. In total, 26 interactive scenes feature added multi-sensory effects like wind and sound, hidden Easter eggs throughout and a grand on-stage musical finale with all cast members. Manufactured by Sally Dark Rides, the leader in indoor family dark ride experiences, Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare is a true nod to the original that made its home at Kings Island from 1992 – 2002. “Families who have visited Kings Island will remember how special the original Phantom Theater was, and they’ve always wanted it to return,” said Tony Carovillano, park manager of Kings Island. “While paying homage to the original ride, Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare’s modern and advanced features will help create new memories and stories for all who take their seat inside this amazing experience.”

The adventure isn't so great anymore.

Last Friday I had the chance to attend one of two "UOAP Nights" at Universal Studios Florida, hosted for annual passholders at no additional cost (though reservations were required and did "sell out"). The event featured a significantly reduced capacity in the park, resulting in shorter wait times for the rides that were open. Also included was a pre-party event, a number of surprise meet and greets, speciality food and beverage options, a private showing of the Cinesational nighttime spectacular and a party atmosphere throughout the park. It was also notable that these two event nights took place during the last two days of operation for Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit before its permanent closure. Not previously announced or included in past events was this "pre-party" offering... At first glance this looks a little overwhelming but to Universal's credit, it is a well thought-out queue that leads guests to a number of neat meet and greets and other offerings to enjoy inside. Plus we were given a free UOAP button to commemorate attending the night's event. Beyond the special meet and greets in the pre-party, there were additional meet and greet options available throughout the park. In addition to many of the normal dining venues being open with their normal menus served, the event had a few special tastes available to order at key locations in the park. The pre-party featured a DJ playing lively music to keep the vibes going. While Doc Brown isn't uncommon to still find roaming Universal Studios Florida, it is incredibly rare to see him accompanied by Einstein! John Hammond was another rare character brought out for the event. The Ecto-1 from the Universal Mega Movie Parade was parked in the pre-party studio and served as a backdrop for a rare meet and greet with the Spenglers from Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Frozen Empire. It's easier to appreciate the little details on this float when it isn't in motion. This was a nice surprise and delight moment for the event. Woody and Winnie Woodpecker were available for meet and greets as well. The UOAP Nights event was presented by Coca-Cola and as such, they had a free sample bar for Coca-Cola Orange Cream as well as the zero sugar version. While not my favorite flavor, it was still a delicious and refreshing Coca-Cola. There was special event merchandise available to purchase as well. After the pre-party it was time to head back out into the park to enjoy all that was available to us. The app featured a narrowed filter on the offerings exclusive to the event. Exiting the pre-party studio presented me with a chance to snag a few more photos of Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit operating during the daytime. Only a few more drops left in this one... Edgy angles for an edgy coaster. Given that we had our five year old with us for the event, our priorities were clear. I'm not going to complain that my son loves Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon. A look at the event's exclusive cupcakes. A must-do, especially when the queue is short. A pretty sunset and a reminder that there would be an exclusive showing of Cinesational later in the evening. A photo op for those who really wanted to flaunt their status as passholders. I went to go ride Rockit for the last time, only to find that it was temporarily closed with riders stuck in recline on the lift hill. On the other side of the park it was time to wait for something out of this world... \ When it comes to special meet and greets, I'm easy to please. I mean, this is awesome. "The world is a carousel of color..." Cinesational features a combination of water fountains, lasers, projections (on water and on buildings), fireworks and drones. Being totally honest it isn't my favorite show. The projected visuals are nearly impossible to make out clearly and the choice of segments is odd. That said, the fountains, drones and lasers paired with the fireworks make for an enjoyable spectacle. I just wish the content was more in line with the Universal Cinematic Spectacular--a show that highlighted some of Universal most iconic scenes and sounds on the lagoon. The show has a few highlights. A fun little nod to the event at the end of the night. Over in the Music Plaza there was a DJ playing the Cha Cha Slide for those who wished to dance along. Now it's time to say goodbye... After about a 35 minute wait, I hit it one more time with a final "Hasta!" in the front row. I'll give them credit... This shirt plays to my local nostalgia. This UOAP Nights was quite possibly the best passholder event I've attended at Universal to date. The unique pre-party, the extra meet and greets, the short wait times and the event showing of Cinesational really made for a great evening in the park... Not realizing the significance of the date, I got this souvenir to close out my saga with Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. While I didn’t plan it this way, it was kind of fitting that my last ride on Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit was exactly 16 years to the date from my first, during its first day of soft opening guest previews. I watched the track arrive in the staging land that now is Volcano Bay as I took the bus to high school every day. And at least once a week I’d visit Universal to document the construction progress, including the installation (and in some cases, removal and reinstallation) of each section of track. It wasn’t a particularly great coaster but it also wasn’t the worst. Some unique elements, and in the right seats, great airtime, all with the added benefit of a solid selection of default songs and a plentiful set list of hidden songs to Rockit through. The ride had a troubled start and a rocky lifespan but it was memorable enough. My favorite songs to listen to onboard were: Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by Daft Punk Float On by Modest Mouse Moving Right Along by The Muppets Crocodile Rock by Elton John Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger was the first song I ever experienced while riding and Float On closed out my final ride at the UOAP Nights event. Something bigger, better, more reliable is coming in to replace Rockit and I’m fine to see it go. I’m thankful for the memories (rocky at times as they may have been) and ready for something new to take a spin in its place…

The only thing worse than finding a cockroach in your cheeseburger: finding half of a cockroach in your cheeseburger.

Supernovae Productions on a theme park road trip to Sweden Summer vacation 2025 was all about a trip with the final destination: Liseberg in Sweden. To prepare, we used coast2coaster to plan out a route hitting several parks along the way. We kicked things off in Rotterdam and headed through Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and then back to the Netherlands. If you want to watch a vlog full of random nonsense, click this link: Let’s start with Day 1. Monday, August 11th First stop: Tier- und Freizeitpark Thüle, about a 4-hour drive from home. The park is a mix of a small zoo and an amusement park, mostly known for its Heege rides. None of us had been there before, so it felt like the perfect little stop on our way. We arrived around early afternoon, and first things first: food. No lunch yet, so obviously we went for currywurst – the ultimate German snack that you just have to try at least once when visiting our eastern neighbors. After filling up, time to check out the park. We started with the zoo section – nice, but nothing too special. On to the rides! First coaster: Lost World – a dinosaur-themed powered coaster by Wiegand. Cute little layout, fun theming, and you can tell the park really put some effort into it. Dinosaurs along the track, tunnels, and the tiny 2-person cars actually have a decent speed. Opened in 2022, it’s a solid addition for a park this size. We already decided we’d reride this one later in the day. Next up: Drachen-Achterbahn by Zierer. Honestly, nothing groundbreaking, but hey – if you’ve got a YouTube channel and need onrides, you’ve gotta ride these too. Been there, done that. Then Storchenturm, basically the same ride as Wirbelbaum in Toverland. Of course the teenager had to test how fast we could spin… let’s just say, we saw some beautiful stripes afterwards. Time for “slip ‘n slide” on the Rundbootrutsche, a round boat water slide with a helix in the layout. You never know if you’ll come out forwards or backwards since you spin the whole way down. On the way to the next ride we saw this random building – no clue what was inside. Funhouse? Haunted house? Walkthrough? The capacity was terrible, only four people at a time with a long pause in between groups. So we waited. And waited. Finally our turn! First part was a walkthrough with some guy on a screen talking about… well, no idea what. Then a room full of glowing special effects – cool, but we still didn’t know what the main attraction was. Finally, we got into a 4-person bench hanging from a track. Surprise! It turned out to be a dark ride + flying theater hybrid called Tiki-Tahiti Adventure. We “flew” past a bunch of screens with movement effects – nothing too wild, but if you’ve got a weak stomach, maybe skip it. Some masked dude was the main character, no clue what the story was, but it was funny. And hey, there was even a mine train coaster in the film. Does that secretly count as another coaster credit? When we got out, we all agreed it wasn’t worth the insane wait, but hey, sometimes you’ve just got to try things as a theme park fan. Plenty more flat rides and Heege attractions to hit, so we moved on. Wildwasserondell – basically a jetski ride – always fun. Supernovaejunior wanted to try the Nautic Jet, so he did that while the rest of us filmed some offrides nearby. Then the Kontiki swing boat by Zierer, followed by the Sindbad Schaukelschiff – a classic pirate ship, pretty much the same as the one in Toverland. After that, we hopped on Eiertanz, where you sit in half eggs swinging around on spinning arms. Fun ride, but it took forever to stop spinning afterwards – longer than the ride itself. Guess they forgot the brakes? Next door was Airboat, a Huss flat ride, but we had to wait since the same operator also ran Eiertanz. Not great for capacity, but hey, that’s just how the park rolls. We wrapped things up with another ride on Lost World and some of the typical Heege rides: Sailbahn, Schmetterling and Komet Schaukel. After that it was time to head out to our first overnight stop in Bad Oeynhausen. Final thoughts on Tier- und Freizeitpark Thüle Cute little park with a nice atmosphere. The addition of Lost World and Tiki-Tahiti Adventure are good steps toward becoming a “more serious” theme park. It’s not big enough to spend a full day (unless you’ve got small kids), but as a half-day stop on the way to bigger parks, it’s perfect. On to Day 2: Potts Park!

Well, I FINALLY made my first visit to Holiday World. WOW. I will join the chorus of people singing its praises. What a charming, well-kept, well-run park. As I entered the park, I was greeted by all the team members in a super friendly way. And as I made my around the park, its cleanliness, fun themes, and overall operations were stunning for a such a small, family-run park. I was stunned they were running 2 trains on Voyage and Legend, despite minimal lines. AND the Voyage had like 6 team members checking the train -- although they still somehow managed to stack trains frequently, the operations were mostly smooth. I focused on the coasters. Sure wish I could have done night rides! The Voyage. I actually wasn't terribly impressed on my first ride. I was in the very front of the very first train and although I was impressed by relatively smooth it was, I just wasn't blown away: not a lot of air. Definitely partly the product of sky-high expectations. AND THEN I rode the back and THEN the coaster warmed up. Holy crap! To me, this is more a backseat ride (although there is no "bad" seat that I can find in 8 rides.). The spaghetti bowl turnaround at the back is one of the most out-of-control feelings I have ever experienced in a coaster. It's up there with the quadruple down on Lightning run and the end turns on El Toro, as great mayhem. Each ride I appreciated The Voyage more, focusing more on its unrelenting speed, floater (and pops) of air, and its incredible length and design. It's a top 5 for me now. And kudos for the loving care Holiday World shows this ride -- they spend a ton of time taking care of it, and it shows. Legend. As a sign of my old age, the back seat was just a little too uncomfortable for me, but I loved how raw and rough this coaster is (in the good way, as designed vs. rough b/c of crappy maintenance.). Enjoyed it much more in the front seat, especially the second half. But I didn't love it. My bias is more towards airtime machines than laterals and I still found myself having to ride a little more defensively than I'd like. Still, a very good ride. Love the backstory and the bell ringing. Raven. Man, I had waited for this coaster for a while, given its legendary status. Again, my expectations sorta messed with me, and having ridden it third, it was a hard comparison to the mighty Voyage. I imagine it is stunning at night. I loved the layout, especially the third drop into the woods (massive air in the back, but sadly I kept thinking about the enthusiast who fell). I see they have retracked big sections, but they didn't quite yet reach that final right hand turn before the final turn -- that thing is BRUTAL: literally flying into and out of a pothole. I only did 2 rides on Raven because the pothole was nearly a chiropractic spinal cracking everytime. Loved the station and it's a fun, excellent ride. Thunderbird. This was the surprise hit! Yes, the value of low expectations-- AND it's a great design! yes, I was one of the idiots on here complaining when this ride was announced 10 years ago, saying it was not a great fit for the park: too much money for a gimmicky ride. Happily I was wrong: the theming is great, the launch packs a bunch, and the layout is superb. Probably the best wing coaster I have been on, possibly except for Gatekeeper ( I have also done Wild Eagle and X Flight). Love the use of the valley and the woods. Really super fun and re-rideable. Overall, just loved the park and how it's run. I know Paula is long-gone and they went through some family drama, but I still found everything excellent

Twisted Colossus is now open. It could not have been a broken lift chain. The moose was lying!

Our next-to-last day of the cruise was our final sea day onboard the Disney Treasure--a chance to enjoy the some more of the ship's many venues at a leisurely pace while savoring some of the best bites available. Palo Brunch is my favorite dining offering onboard. While it is an adult exclusive, additional-cost experience not included in the base cruise fare, it is absolutely worth the time and money. Everything you see on the above menu is included in an all-you-care-to-enjoy experience that is top notch! Elissa-friendly cheeses included! The brunch features some of the classic breakfast options like a mega Mickey Waffle... And fancy Eggs Benedict... But there's also lunch-ish options for those (like me) that would rather go for the savory, heavy options, like this fantastic Eggplant Rolatini. Palo's brunch Chicken Parmigiana (with a heavenly risotto below) is quite possibly one of the best things you could ever consume on a Disney ship. The traditional Lasagna Bolognese is amazing too! The Wild Mushroom Ravioli was right up my alley! And you can't go wrong with their pizzas and calzones! Don't forget to save room for dessert. Over in the Hero Zone, a live game was playing out like a human version of "Hungry, Hungry Hippos." Ever seen a DCL Keel Coin before? They had these replicas available to purchase onboard. Periscope Pub is one of the ship's themed lounges and becomes the vessel's sports bar when major sporting events are being televised. Inspired by Walt Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the venue is filled with Disney details, some more subtle than others... The numbers on this gauge (5989, 5990, 687, 688, 705, 706 and 718) represent the hull numbers of each of the DCL ships in the fleet (plus one). This overhead display features the silhouette of fish and sharks overhead as time goes on... The image capture for this was recorded in the tank at The Seas with Nemo & Friends in EPCOT. I love the menu design! Look at these beer taps! I love this design. It wouldn't be a 20,000 Leagues lounge without a model of the Nautilus. Some very neat details line the shelves of the Periscope Pub... Lots of Jules Verne to be found throughout... Very unique details found within. "The Narwhal" features Kraken Black Spiced Rum, Cointreau, Lime, Orgeat and Ginger and it was very much my kind of drink. The Outis Daiquiri looked great too. Even the entryway is themed! I stepped outside to enjoy the sunset... It was dazzling. I enjoyed more opportunities to be a goofball. Our next night in Worlds of Marvel restaurant was the Marvel Celebration of Heroes. This is a new, second show for the venue that debuted with the Disney Treasure. Groot is hosting a celebration of heroes (as the title states) and while he prepares, the restaurant is filled with music from Peter Quill's Zune. They've got delicious skewers. And tuna poke! And pasta purseittes! Deadpool's first appearance on a DCL ship! Beef Wellington for the win! Can't go wrong with a rack of lamb! Wolverine!!! Dessert here was wonderful. Another new towel animal greeted us in our stateroom before the evening show. The Tale of Moana was our evening's show--a brand new retelling of the animated film's story brought to the stage at sea for the first time. The show was excellent! Very true to the original film with some clever staging, great sets and effects and even a new song brought in from the outtakes of the original album! Did I buy all of the Haunted Mansion Parlor sodas during my visit... Maybe... I finally sat in the chair! Tons of details hidden on this bookshelf... Haunted Mansion Parlor transforms throughout your visit in many, many different ways. There's a hidden drink on the menu that requires you to solve a Haunted Mansion-themed challenge to access... It is served on a very familiar piece... Very familiar indeed. Portraits in the Parlor are familiar to those found in the rest of the Haunted Mansion, but unique to this venue. They too transform over time. The ways they change vary throughout the evening... It wouldn't be the Haunted Mansion without some ghostly ballroom dancers floating around... Candle Man found (look it up)! Check out these beer tap handles! Haunted Mansion Parlor is not simply a lounge themed to the Haunted Mansion, but an extension to the Mansion itself. This door, the entrance to the venue on the ship, can actually be seen inside of the classic attraction's ballroom. We had some time to enjoy Jungle Cruise out on the Funnelvision... Another great day completed with one last day ahead of us!

Sawdust & Sand On my Day 4 of The Fair There were only two things I wanted to see on this visit to the PNE. The Farm Country Barns, which are really original buildings from very first PNEs. And the sand sculpture exhibit, behind the barns. And of course, another corn dog to enjoy. Near the main gate. A reminder of who was here first. Before colonization happened. Information about The Sanctuary, and where there used to be more PNE buildings. But, no more. Today's corn dog is from Coco's, which was in a new spot at The Fair. Along with a refreshing lemonade to enjoy as well. Dal Richards loved the PNE, and loved conducting Big Band music at the fair. He is missed. The PNE Express Train (trackless?) starting it's journey around The Sanctuary. We're riding it on Thursday. These buildings/barns haven't changed for decades. Not very busy today. Speaking of sawdust. A 'dusted' lama. Pony rides available for the young'uns. $!2 a ride. Um....? Where everybody was. For the noon running of the PIG RACES! I passed. Seen it all before. Early days. Every pigeon has it's own coop. C'mon, who doesn't love farm tractors? I was tempted, but chickened out. Maybe on Thursday, with David. Not exactly a "horse of a different colour," but still. It was something to look at. Kids Discovery Farm. Has some neat stuff for children to do, and enjoy. "Fresh Hot Chicks" under the heat lamp! Honey display. There was also a display of bees exiting the display via a tube, taking them outside to flowers to get pollinated, etc. Then they come back inside. The outside Warning Sign about the tube. Bunnies! Nice to get a different angled shot of the new Amphitheatre. Opening during next year's PNE. Self-explanatory. Who's organized it all. A-maze-ing! I get interrupted by the group from KC Bear's Party show passing by. They looked like they were enjoying the day. There is an upside down body in there. Truth! Bear love. Didn't see the little house in back, till now. This display is about as "Canadian" as you can get, eh? "Seals of Approval." I love it (not) that he's looking at his cellphone. A bit dark, but KC Bear says G'Bye! Also, Waste Not. Finally, a look at where the Prize Home used to be. Touring the actual house was great, then after the fair and the main draw, it was then moved to it's new location. Not any more. <sad> And that's it for this Tuesday visit, till tomorrow's visit with David.

my Day Number 3, at the PNE! Aug. 21 Was very early getting to The Fair, so besides seeing the Superdogs show, I took in one of the "Cultural Showcase" acts, this being a dance school in the city. There was some good spots, and other times, the HUGE stage just dwarfed what they were doing. But it was entertaining. The Superdogs show, this year called Wild, Wild, Woof! It's always a good time, but the antics and stunts, races etc. the dogs do, is pretty much the same every year. Even with different dogs after awhile, the show is still the same. But that's okay, Big place to show it this year, with plenty of seating for all. Before any of this, I did get my BBQ from Truckin' BBQ which started out last summer as a food truck, but now has expanded (literally) for better serving. The ribs were still awesome, as were the two sides (creamy slaw and corn bread). But - I was a little 'sticker shocked' at seeing the cost of this 'small meal'.... $50 Cdn - that's what? About $30 US? But I still got a lot of great food, and had to carry it home on the bus. Fun visit. Another visit, another "Win A House, Win A Car!" from the ticket kiosks. Me, too! And Thanks! All of it crocheted. Guess what I picked? The Metro Vancouver setup. It's mainly about how to separate and getting rid of ...waste. 'Nough said. Aren't seeing two cranes, a Japanese kind of good luck? Here we are! And I got the "Little Trucker" with the two sides, pulled pork, chcken, and four meaty ribs. And here it all is! So much of it, I had to take the 'leftovers' home on the bus. A fun ride. While eating, this was my view of the big BIG stage, From one of many, many Adirondack chairs. Another larger chair. For groups. <g> Only one boy doing the ballet numbers. And he was just as good as all the girls around him. Synchronicity = "Strike A Pose." Dancing With Red. IT was a fun number. This number was a bit more modern. Lots of squats, lol. What I called "The Sex Number". Loved the costumes. The number itself, was 'ok.' The rest of the boys, throwing fans here and there. Red ones, too. (my fave colour) Heading into the Agrodome for the Superdogs show. I was quite a distance from it all. Next year, a lot closer... Merch table. With $8 Frisbees. There was one in the entry lobby, too. I always enjoy how they do different things on the roof of the place. All moving slowly, too. Intro to the show. All the dogs are introduced to the audience. A pomeranian,taking it easy. The timed races. Ending with this to jump over. Notice that they added another rung to it? The dogs were really good at clearing it. Pretty good! With 7 rungs on it, there! A fan favourite. Weaving through the flag posts. Some dogs do it incredibly fast... And others just take their sweet time, lol. This is where the dogs race each other. Two teams: EeeHah! & YaHooo! I think EeeHah! won it all. Final bows. Wat I bought and brought back home with me. Couldn't resist... EAT ME! EAT ME! The other one reminds me of "Where The Wild Things Are," ... sort of.

On the way to The Fair, Day 3... When I catch the bus to go to the PNE, I see some interesting stuff along the one street (Victoria Dr) I walk. Here's a few photos of them... Starting from our house, on William St. Pardon the fuzziness. Across the street from us, there's a great pizza restaurant. Pricey, but good stuff. I've never seen a hedge, locally, trimmed this precisely. I mean, REALLY trimmed! Nice to see a rainbow here and there, along the way. Now, is this Cobalt Blue, or what?!! "I'll buy a "K". And I think I can solve the phrase!" It's a pretty messed up front yard, too. Made with drift wood, this is a nice rest spot. This is one of The Best Italian Grocery Stores in the city! Their Olive Oil section is a - may - zing! And as well, Bosa Foods has an 'Olive Bar,' big Deli, and just rows and rows of Italian foods. I always love this corner of Ferndale and Victoria Drive. Finally, another (of several) house with a lot of stuff in front. And greenery, too!

So for anyone who wants to know: 1) Called corporate. Waited on hold for about 15 minutes before it forced me to leave a message with the promise of a call back. Doubtful that will happen but hopefully, I will be wrong. 2) Called SFSTL where I had a conversation with a truly very nice and helpful guest relations woman. She was sympathetic but stated that they themselves have not been told about the food issue and as far as she knows SF has not decided on that issue yet for the memberships. She suggested that I use the chat feature on web site because then she would get a record of it and be able to pursue it with corporate. So, 3) I did that. Twice but was never able to connect to a live human despite being on hold on the chat waiting for one for 45 minutes. Although I did get an email from the same person I spoke to yesterday this morning. So I wrote a response that she can hopefully then pass up the line about how basically it is bs that they are announcing the changes without knowing all the changes, etc, etc This may all be completely for naught but as a troublemaking former social studies teacher that has more time on her hands than ever before I will continue to fight the man until I get an answer of die from exhaustion. Stay tuned. I'm double posting this on SFSTL thread since it's my home park and the SF corporate thread for maximum audience in case anyone else finds out anything.

Kings Island has announced that Boo Blasters on Boo Hill is permanently closing after September 1st, 2025 to make way for future development... https://www.visitkingsisland.com/rides-experiences/boo-blasters-on-boo-hill Guests will have until Monday, Sept. 1 to take their final rides on Boo Blasters on Boo Hill before its curtain is closed for good.

One more thing I want to do now that I've ridden every American B&M Hyper is rank them and also rank them based on what my wife calls them 1. Raging Bull, 2. Goliath, 3. Diamondback, 4. Nitro, 5. Thunder Striker, 6. Apollo's Chariot, 7. Mako, 8. Candymonium (if we're including gigas, Fury 325 would rank under Raging Bull and Orion would rank under Nitro for me). My wife is Nitro's #1 fan, so she calls each B&M Hyper the following: Bovine Nitro, Y'all Nitro, Snake Nitro, Nitro, Earnhardt Nitro (guess that needs a new one lol), Mythological Nitro, Shark Nitro, and Chocolate Nitro.

my Late Husband, Nick, passed at 63 (~3 years ago) and he LOVED coasters, but stopped riding them at about 55 due to medical issues (that would not have stopped most other people, but he tended to overreact. . so he just waited for me to ride anything more intense than the train or carousel, that he still felt comfortable riding). I'm 58, and my Boyfriend/partner, Jim (whom I met about 15 months ago) is 65. and he's just started riding coasters after we met. LOL. .his first coaster ever was Poltergeist (LIM launch spaghetti bowl coaster), and he does at least one "big" ride at each park. usually the last ride of the day, because he wants to participate in the "big" stuff with me. in regards to COASTERS: he's been rather limited (thus far), but his favorite is Texas Stingray at SWSA. He also really loved Steel Eel (SWSA), Judge Roy Scream (SFOT), Runaway Mountain (SFOT), Road Runner (SFFT), Aquaman Power Surge, and Mine Train (SFOT). he will TOLERATE a few other coasters at SFFT, and SFOT, but refuses to ride Iron Rattler (SFFT) again, as it terrified him. and I'd say he will absolutely not (anytime soon at least) ride Titan (SFOT), Great White (SWSA), Dr Diabolical, Chubacabra, or Superman at SFFT. but he loves flat rides, and we do all of those together.

Waldameer just announced that the Paratrooper is coming back in 2026 with new paint and a new (presumably LED) lighting package. The ride will now be located next to Steel Dragon and replace the West Ballroom Grove (which will be relocated): https://www.facebook.com/Waldameer/posts/pfbid02dky72g1D6E9EncdjahKtuQq3WsKMHCdvdpLu462a26hq8ND4WahLtpLTGrnbzvevl

Disney has released new concept art for the Napa Rose restaurant renovation at the Grand Californian Resort! https://disneyparksblog.com/dlr/first-look-new-concept-art-for-napa-rose-at-disneyland/ Today at Destination D23, Disneyland Resort culinary director John State unveiled a never-before-seen artist concept rendering of the enhanced patio space from Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, which is currently closed for an exciting renovation. Fans had the chance to get a first look at the restaurant’s al fresco dining option, with Disney California Adventure park serving as the backdrop for a unique culinary adventure. When it reopens, the award-winning Napa Rose will offer an elevated dining experience, blending timeless Craftsman design with a fresh take on modern Californian sophistication and warmth, and immersing guests in a way only Disney can do. Elegant New Patio Seating The outdoor patio is being thoughtfully enhanced to welcome more guests for al fresco dining. Imagine settling into a comfortable seat surrounded by lush greenery and soft lighting, the California breeze enhancing the flavors of your meal. The space invites you to relax and savor each bite while taking in the beautiful outdoor setting. Two new fireplaces will cast a warm, flickering glow across the patio, adding a cozy and inviting touch to the atmosphere. As the sun sets, you can gather around the fire, reflecting on your Disney day and enjoying the ambiance. About Napa Rose Napa Rose has long been celebrated for its refined California cuisine crafted from the finest ingredients, and the restaurant will unveil a brand-new menu designed to delight every palate. Over the course of the restaurant’s long-standing history of pairing exquisite food with the finest wines, Napa Rose is known for its extensive wine collection, featuring 1500 labels that range from rare vintages that are no longer sold to the general public to bottles from small, family-owned California wineries.

Hit Dollywood yesterday. I had been there once before in summer 2020 (Covid time). I forget how pretty the park is: they have done a great job preserving so many trees and greenery (except for by Big Bear Mountain - see below!). It's just lovely to walk through those hills and among those trees and not really be able to see what's around the bend. Super friendly customer service, but slow ops, especially on Mystery Mine (the one ride that could use quick ops!). They could take a lesson or two from Holiday World. Very solid, diverse coaster line-up. Couple observations: Thunderhead. Wow! I don't remember being as impressed by first trip, but I friggin' LOVED this ride. It was mostly a walk-on and so I got about 7-8 rides on it. Not a bad seat to be found, although I preferred the front end (and I am normally a back of the train rider.). Fantastic layout. It sustains speed the whole time, with great curves and transition. Tons of air, including a glorious sustained floater moment on a low profile speed bump near the end (after the station fly-by and left turn). And it was running GREAT. Super smooth, but still forceable. Don't know what Dollywood or the designer has done, but this thing runs gloriously. My favorite ride at the park. Mystery Mine. Horrific operations. 3 people to check 8 shoulder harnesses and they still stacked 5 trains repeatedly -- because they were having conversations, not running the ride. Love the theme. Love the song. Really enjoyed the ride, even though Gerst stuff feels "junky" to me -- I can't believe they spent $17.5M on it in 2006(?), even if the theming? But very effective drop and ending. Fun. Keep your head back. Lightning Rod. Had it's unusual downtime, but got about 6 rides in when it opened. It's a great ride, and I can't remember the changes in the track - felt the same to me. It's a great layout, I always love dropping into that valley and seeing the track in there, and the quad down and ending is just epic, out of control greatness. There IS a big of kink after the second drop, but not terrible. But, as good and relentless as it is, I found myself enjoying Thunderhead more. That surprises me. The Arrow Looper whose name I forget. Oh wait, Ten. Tornado! I thought it was excellent. Love the drop into the tunnel and that MASSIVE loop. A bit short, but very smooth, and had that Arrow charm from my youth. Big smiles for that one. Big Bear Mountain. Really fun, but I think my expectations were too high. Fun, great addition to make the line-up diverse, but didn't blow me away, although the second half was especially fun. Although the interior is well themed, I am really surprised that a park with such great beauty around everything, let this entire coaster sit on an open plot of grass and dirt -- it just looked open and barren. The ride would look amazing if they surrounded it with trees, which would really increase the sense of speed and surprise. Puzzling. BTW, the building for next year's attraction looks HUGE.

Part 2 of Our PNE Visit.... David wanted to continue browsing through The Market, so I left him in there and went to try one of these S'Lucious boozy slushies. Mine was nice. I also had bought a $30 (cdn) Mystery Candy Bag in The Market. I'd open it later, when we got back home. Took a ride on the PNE Express Train, around (what's called) The Sanctuary park on the fairgrounds. It's a lovely 15-20 ride through the 'forest' and really refreshing with all the shade, there. After that, we headed into the barns to check out any new stuff there, for David and myself. And after that, our final task, to get some RIBS! And Prairie Smoke & Spice again did not disappoint. And then ... we ere done for our day there. A total of five hours, including taking the bus there and back. And I had visiting on Closing Day on Monday, to round out my 6 visits there. Where I headed, after leaving David in The Market. Flavours. With your choice of Tequila, Rum, or Vodka (1 oz,) and the slushie. I got a Pina Colada with rum in it. Also note the $30 (cdn) Mystery Candy Bag I bought, earlier. I think the kid's trying to figure out what this Big Green Thing is, that Daddy won. To the Sand Sculptures again (for me). I took a couple of extra shots, of these that were in the shade, before. Much more detail to be seen, now. After this, we headed to the Express Train ride. Speaking of which. It does go through a public part of The Fair. Good for waving to the public. Where we ended up sitting. A packed trainload, every time, we noticed. You can go into The Sanctuary on foot, but this train makes it so much easier to see most of it all. As for sounds from The Fair, you hardly notice any noise coming from beyond the trees. View from the bridge. It was a very nice, soothing ride. Even children on board tend to quiet down during this. David wanted some kettle corn, so we got one of these. It was caramel and apple kettle corn. Another view of the new-to-be amphitheatre's construction. In the Country Barns, we went to The Bees, first. I wanted to get a shot of the Dome where the little guys are all pollinating what was in the middle of it. The sugar feeder jar was there, because no flowers were there outside... ....of The Tube, when they exited the building for the flowers. And came back through it, for pollinating. Remember this? I checked behind it, and there were no flowers to get pollen from. Hence the sugar feeder jar inside. Really beautiful work horses. Is this what they call a "dappled horse"? I think so. Chickens with strange hair-dos, lol. Now, who would enjoy riding a Hot Pink Farm Tractor ? Then we headed to here for our annual PNE feed of BBQ. Busy, busy with all those racks of pork. Mmmm. What we got. Ribs, pulled pork and brisket, and creamy coleslaw. $50+ (cdn) And David got a Jumbo lemonade for us. Lots of meat to eat. And we took the 'leftovers' home with us. After we got back home, I opened the Mystery Candy Bag. And got all this. And plenty of kettle corn to enjoy, too. This is what Caramel Apple kettle corn looks like. Pretty good stuff. And that's it for this visit!

This is my kind of update as I'm a huge Muppets fan. I'm sure there's going to be a ton of sight gags and jokey decor all around the queue and preshow and that will be the actual star of the show. The description makes the ride sound identical where it'll still be blacklight scenery with some Muppet updates. Personally I was hoping for a change in that regard, preferably something like Paris used to have before they butchered it into that Avengers ride. Either way, this sounds snazzy as hell and I'm excited to see all the details!

Did the Moose out front tell you?

I know the answers to most of your questions BUT I will let Bert speak for himself! However, on the age issue; I am 57 my son is 22. We started riding big stuff together as soon as he was tall enough so around 7 for him and 42 for me. I hadn't ridden much in my 30's and it was kind of a rediscovering of a love for theme parks and such. Needless to say the first few trips took some getting used to it all again and I found myself bracing and holding on too hard, that was exactly the wrong thing to do and made me sore as hell. As soon as I started riding more like a drunk person and just allowed my body to move around more naturally I stopped having issues. Now that goes along with some good judgement, I don't really ride SLC's (or hang and bangs as a fellow older enthusiast lovingly calls them) or things that wack me in the ear (looking at you Ninja at SFSTl), or super spinny that I know will make me sick (some motion sickness issues have gotten worse as I aged). In other words as you age you will also know your tolerances and body limits better and better and learn it's beneficial to skip this or that so that you can enjoy almost everything else. Also, needless to say the better shape you stay in and the healthier lifestyle you lead the better your body handles it all. I mean my son and I did a two week Europe theme park trip with ACE last summer for his 21st birthday; 14 parks in 14 days and I was fine without taking daily pain meds like some people there. BUT I also didn't try to ride every single coaster like he did and took breaks when I needed too.

^ Speaking of TT2 one-shot FastLane's, here's some sound advice. Don't buy one through the Cedar Point app. The pass goes on your phone and of course, you can't bring your phone in, so they tell you to go to the TT2 gift shop. When you get there, they will tell you that they don't accept those and you'll have to go somewhere by Magnum. If it's close to park closing time, that location won't be open, and then you'll be told to go the Pagoda Gift Shop. By that time, we should have just waited in the standby line and saved $35. Lesson learned!

I figured I'd use this thread to recap my annual Jersey Jaunt last week. I almost didn't go after my car troubles on my way home from the Midwest and my bank account hates me for actually going, but it was a great time with excellent weather. Sunday 8/10: Six Flags Great Adventure and Gale Force On the way down I couldn't resist the magnetic pull of a quick ride on Toro and a few other things on my way to the shore. Started with Superman on the way in to check out the new footers being dug up and the absolute shithole that is the current Great Adventure boardwalk. I never ride this thing. Other than the pretzel loop it's a waste of time. Even with Flashpass it was a 20 minute process. It's making a weird metal on metal sound in the barrel roll, not sure why but I've never heard it before. After getting off Superman I made my way down the Boardwalk, past Green Lantern and the Parachutes before turning left towards the world's tallest coa....oh wait nevermind. I actually headed back to the other total disaster in the park which is Frontier Adventures. Log Flume closed, Mine Train closed, wanted to eat at Best of the West but closed. Absolutely nothing going on back there other than Medusa. And I really don't understand the rumors around it that have been coming up occasionally. Even with nothing else open within 1000 feet of this thing it had a big line. Glad I had Flashpass for this one. Back seat ride was excellent as always. I've ridden every Floorless east of the Mississippi and this is my favorite one, it just runs flawlessly with pretty good forces and is always a good time. Tackled the Bull next which was a walk on so no Flashpass needed here. Rode in the very back and it was running much better than when I rode in March. The track work in the turns has helped tremendously. I didn't even get a headache. The pacing feels better like the old days also. Rode this twice, why not when it's running so well. Had dinner at Yum Yum. Chicken was good, but if I didn't have my dining pass and bottle it would've been over $60 for two small plates of chicken fingers, a side, and a drink. Insane. Had to hit the road but a quick check of the Flash Flashpass line looked good so I hopped on real quick. Rode in back, it's good fun but after riding Sirens Curse it definitely feels a bit lackluster. Headed out for Ocean City and walked around on the boardwalk for a bit and also stopped into Castaway Cove for my annual Gale Force ride. The queue house was full and it was a good 30 minute line but this ride is so kick ass. I had just ridden El Toro 3 or 4 hours prior and you know...I think Gale Force is a better coaster. The ejector over every hill is insane, then there's bone crushing positives, and meanwhile it is glass smooth. I know it was a shitshow when it opened but it's really too bad that more of these were never built. Even though they removed the unique Squadron 33, I liked how they moved things around inside the park and it feels less crowded in now. The Bumper Cars are right next to the Gale Force queue which adds some entertainment. Monday 8/11: Watch the Tramcar Please After a day of bar hopping (Stubborn Bros might be my new favorite place in Wildwood), swimming, and indulging in lots of pizza, I ended up getting a wristband for $34 that was valid from 9:30-11:30. While it was a bit of a rush for those two hours, I rode most of what I wanted to. I started on Surfside which unfortunately had a closed Noreaster and a broken down Atmosfear. Rode Zoom Phloom which was excellent as always. Also rode It which is kind of overrated IMO but still a lot of fun with the lapbars. While I was waiting for Atmosfear to open I rode Doo Wopper to kill time. This thing sucks. It's slow and it has no airtime hills that its cousins have. I sat on a bench by the exit of the flume and watched Atmosfear test over and over. It's my favorite drop tower and if it was gonna open then I wanted to wait for it. Apparently I was within view of the guest service window and a guy, totally unsolicited, walked out and was like "I saw your Velocicoaster shirt...I'm sorry about the maintenance issues we're having tonight!" and handed me a coupon for a free wristband. I didn't have to sit around waiting for one ride, there was plenty else to do, but it was really awesome of the guest service guy to just come out and do that. Definitely will use it next summer! Anyway, after probably 15-20 tests the tower finally opened and I got my excellent ride! Unfortunately by then the clock was working against me as it was almost 11:00. Had to walk by Mariner's Pier and the world's best boomerang and went to ride my favorite Screaming Swing. Got a zen ride on it, excellent ride as always. It's not that big compared to some parks, but it's location flying out over the pier and the beach is really awesome. Finished up with 4 Great White rides which they kept running 15 minutes past closing, sweet! The millennium flyers feel like they don't pace quite as well as the old PTCs but it's still a really good ride and always fun to get night rides on this thing. Tuesday 8/12: Steel Pier and a mall Ferris Wheel on the ride home. After poking around Wildwood a little more in the AM, we started our way back up the Parkway, stopping into Atlantic City as I became aware that Steel Pier has a new credit and one of those insane Tropical Storm rides. First off, this city feels absolutely f*cking depressing after being in the much more lively shore towns to its south. Anyway, it was $4 ride day at Steel Pier (as opposed to the usual $16 per ride). Rode the new spinning mouse which is very similar to the old one except it absolutely sucks. It's trimmed to death and they also insist that you sit in the middle to balance the cars, so it doesn't really spin. What a shitty coaster. Tropical Storm though...insane. It spins almost uncomfortably fast, though thankfully it does it in spurts. I'm glad I got to ride one, I don't think there has been another one in America since Castaway Cove got rid of theirs 6 or 7 years ago. Not as insane as Scat at Bay Beach, but still a good time. On the way home, after driving past Palisades Park Mall hundreds of times in my life, we finally stopped in to ride the Ferris Wheel and check out the mall. The wheel was cool but weird for sure. Basically they meant to order their food court Carousel and f*cked up and ended up ordering a Ferris Wheel instead. It gets super hot up near the ceiling. The rest of the mall is huge, definitely a nice place. I didn't do anything else but they have Go Karts and even one store is just Bumper Cars.

Opening Day at the PNE Aug.16th It was reported that we were going to get as much rain as we did, the day before, which was a monsoon of wetness! So I packed a small umbrella, and hoped for the best. It didn't rain,. though. At - all. And the sun came out when I was leaving the fair. <sighs> Oh well. Opening Day was just a walk through for myself. Didn't see any shows or go through any buildings, with displays, etc. And I finished it up by having my first corn dog of The Fair. Whole visit took me just over an hour, which was fine. This is a main entrance into The Fair, which I would normally go through.... But I had to turn left and head way down to the other end of the fairgrounds, to pick up my tickets. "The BIG Backyard". Well, okay then! Had a lot of sports stuff for the kids - including an ice rink for hockey! I was impressed. After getting my tickets (long story not worth telling), I was headed for the BLUE GATE entry. Like last year's Fair. Met with a sort of 'mall of stalls' with Indigenous made things to buy. And opposite this... Was the Roadhouse Patio & Bar.... ...Where these two shows were playing. I'm so glad that the PNE is supporting the drag community, here. While the new amphitheatre is going up (opening next summer) the Nightly Concerts are here in the Coliseum. Noted. Looking down the Main Entry path. And the start of many, many food trucks! The main entry into The BIG Backyard. And with it, the Italian Gardens in the back, there. Our fave BBQ spot for ribs, etc. We will be getting some of it all, eventually. Back end corner of The Marketplace building. I'll probably go through it this coming Tuesday. Tuesday. The Metro Vancouver display. An annual thing at The Fair. Worth checking out what's what in the city. The main stage for Cultural Showcase stuff. along with special event things. Always gets a big crowd thru the day. Where the dog show moved to, the Agrodome. It's sad that equestrian competitions, the knights show, and other "country related" stuff has been dropped, just for the dog show. Hopefully, when the new amphitheatre opens next year, these things will come back, and the other stuff move back to where they originally were. Ooooooo. Last year this ribs place was selling from their food truck. Now they've gotten 'a bit bigger.' The "barns" are still there, with the Pig Races, honey displays, and a lot of farm stuff 'games' for the kids. More and more food trucks down this corridoor . Where I saw this... Yep. Complete with Takoyaki: squid balls - how Japanese of them. But no. Not for myself. Just before I reached Playland. Here is the PNE EXPRESS train that travels in and around our green space, the Sanctuary. I'll be riding it another day. A Fairs-Eye view of the amphitheatre. And in front, the high dive water tank, for shows during the day. Good to see that Keepers Doll Factory haunt house will be open again. Along with Playland's Haunted Mansion, these are two pretty good haunt houses at The Fair. Here we are. Coaster in action. The Beast attacking Coaster. My first corn dog, of The Fair. What one can buy here at Coaster Dogs. What I got. A plain old corn dog, with a nice cold beer from one of the Drink Huts in Playland. And they were both great! After my little snack, I left the PNE through the Playland gate. Till Tuesday, then!

If the cherry picker was under 100 feet, yes. That's the clutter zone where radar can't differentiate between terrain and objects.

...or their FAQs. It's important to know there will be no blockout dates in 2022.

It's been pouring rain, all day today. Haven't had this much fall, in well over three weeks. Badly needed, as we have forest fires on our Vancouver Island, needing attention i.e. RAIN. Hopefully that`s happening now. But, I was planning to hit Playland, the very last day (i.e. today) of it`s current season. But a no go, from me. So here are the photos I took this past Wednesday at the park. Add to that a 'deal' they announced with Two-For-One admissions available. And at my arrival at the park, the ticket kiosks were already shut down, with the "Park Is Full" sign posted outside. It was very scarce with people out front, but once I got in side .... it was amazing how packed it was! The only ride I went on, the West Coast Wheel, took a half hour to board. Unheard of, in previous park visits! Pretty shocking, and I remember that PNE visitors to Playland don't have lineups like these. Anyway... Tomorrow is Opening Day of The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE to you and me). There's a small chance of rain, for a short period of time. Hopefully... It looked very non-busy in the entry plaza, and not seeing the "Park Full" signs there, too WTF??? And that family in the middle there, are at the end of the Swinger queue! Eep. Coaster was an immediate no-go, from where I saw it. Huge lineup for The Beast. I have no idea where the queue started! Whee. Noted. A look at how the new Amphitheater construction is going. Another view, from another angle. My one ride for the day, there. Wierd AtmosFEAR shot. Lineups everywhere! The Twins looking good, from here. PNE stuff popping up here and there. The big Sanctuary Park is behind all this. I still have no idea ..... A Coaster shot, with the single train in operation. (Sorry I might not be riding it, any more.) Even that kids' drop tower in back, had a huge lineup. I mean, really??? Enterprise UP! One more shot of it, for today. Bought the regular size popcorn. A dollar cheaper than large. And it fills the bucket with 'extra' to enjoy. Nice. I was not expecting this, at the Triple O's. Too - many - people. So I skipped this. And one last Coaster shot for today. Followed by a Starbucks visit, which was strangely empty compared to ...'that park'. <shudders> PNE OPENING DAY TOMORROW!!!

even if she didn't want to ride much, it's amazing you got her on Siren's Curse, Gatekeeper, Valraven, and Maverick (the biggest and "scariest" coasters in the park for non-enthusiasts). there is ZERO chance I'd get my bf on Siren's (that tilt), GK (hanging off the sides with nothing underneath? no way), or Valraven (looking straight down? nope, he'd faint). so great job on that, and glad you enjoyed it.

So for anyone who wants to know: 1) Called corporate. Waited on hold for about 15 minutes before it forced me to leave a message with the promise of a call back. Doubtful that will happen but hopefully, I will be wrong. 2) Called SFSTL where I had a conversation with a truly very nice and helpful guest relations woman. She was sympathetic but stated that they themselves have not been told about the food issue and as far as she knows SF has not decided on that issue yet for the memberships. She suggested that I use the chat feature on web site because then she would get a record of it and be able to pursue it with corporate. So, 3) I did that. Twice but was never able to connect to a live human despite being on hold on the chat waiting for one for 45 minutes. Although I did get an email from the same person I spoke to yesterday this morning. So I wrote a response that she can hopefully then pass up the line about how basically it is bs that they are announcing the changes without knowing all the changes, etc, etc This may all be completely for naught but as a troublemaking former social studies teacher that has more time on her hands than ever before I will continue to fight the man until I get an answer of die from exhaustion. Stay tuned. I'm double posting this on SFSTL thread since it's my home park and the SF corporate thread for maximum audience in case anyone else finds out anything.

With media seemingly reporting every single time a coaster gets stuck on a lift hill and forcing people to evacuate down the stairs (looking at you, Siren's Curse), I can't imagine something like evacuating riders from a log flume VIA A CHERRY PICKER going completely under the radar like that. They have always typically shut Log Flume down around Labor Day in recent years, and given all the recent budget cuts and spending concerns, it's probably far more likely they just decided to up the date by a couple weeks.

The next morning we woke up in the port of Falmouth, Jamaica. I'd been to Falmouth a few times before and wanted to have a casual day onboard, especially knowing the weather outside was going to be questionable throughout the day... On the opposite side of the port from the Disney Treasure was the Celebrity Ascent. While it's certainly a choice design-wise, I do think the concept of a bar that can travel up and down the side of the ship to near-water level is a unique feature for sure. Sometimes you just need to sit on the deck with fresh tacos and enjoy a movie on the Funnelvision. In the Grand Hall, guests had a chance to participate in a Jungle Cruise themed game. During the day there were some additional Photopass opportunities with some great Marvel props in the Worlds of Marvel restaurant. Yes, I am a goofball. That night was host to one of my favorite Disney Cruise Line dinner menus (which we'd had on other ships in the past). Can't go wrong with the Oysters Rockefeller! This might have been one of three lobster tails I had on this night... It might have been. Creme brûlée for the win! Grapefruit cake for good measure. 1923 has some of the best sundaes found on the ship! Another fun towel animal greeted us in our stateroom after dinner. I was very excited to find out that Mickey's Color Spin Dance Party had been added to the schedule for our sailing. We experienced it previously on the Disney Dream European Cruise and I was eager to see how the show could translate to the larger deck staging on the Disney Treasure. Also as a lighting geek, I was fawning over the awesome way the upper deck transformed to match the party's many colors. The party features lots of color, characters and dancing! Popular music is featured alongside pop-y takes on classic Disney songs for a really fun and dynamic show. Max joins the show midway through for an awesome performance of I2I. Hi Elissa! Mickey's Color Spin Dance Party has become one of my favorite entertainment offerings across the DCL fleet and I was very happy to experience it again here. What a fun way to close out another great day aboard the Disney Treasure!

^ I highly, HIGHLY recommend a trip to CDMX to get this deal, check out this excellent park, and fall in love with the city. It quickly, and I mean QUICKLY, jumped to the top of my "favorite places to visit" list and I intend on returning soon.

Well the GAdv coaster to 2027 thing already seemed to be a budget move - a reasonable 2026 opening was still possible with them pouring footers in August. The problem is they’ve left that park in a sorry state of affairs so keeping it in that state is only going to make it worse. And it’s likely responsible for a large amount of the attendance drop as it is. I’m a bit shocked they decided to abandon a 2026 open for it considering the importance of replacing TWO coasters. There’s also a non-zero chance that political issues surrounding import costs and international tourism collapse play into this too. The thing is I could still see them investing in dining upgrades. Potentially even fast tracking them. PS: I’m about 90% sure RMC uses imported steel. And with domestic steel production experiencing a factory explosion I’d expect domestic steel’s already paltry market sheet to fall even more. It’s a bad time to build coasters. PPS: I understand how taboo that topic is. But the drastically increased costs of building rides cannot be ignored.

Even though it’s disappointing to see something that was once including costing extra now, I much prefer this as an alternative to what some other parks do where they close the park at 5 or 6 and you can’t stay for the rides without an event ticket.

The park updated the hours and it looks like closing day will be November 30 (Thanksgiving weekend) so I guess I can give them kudos on letting us keep November. I figured at best we were getting through Veterans Day weekend. I enjoy visiting the park in November, usually in the 50s or 60s and there's still some late foliage left by then. Frightfest crowds gone. It's a nice time to go.

There's no delay. Construction appears to be on schedule. The official announcement should be late August or early September.

Interesting about Chance. Obviously, they priced the market just wrong. I figured they might be significantly cheaper than RMC and Gerst or other "cheaper" competitors, but obviously not enough. Shame. I don't entirely buy the staffing shortage idea, only because Holiday World somehow manages it, and has a much smaller labor pool than downtown Louisville. It has something to do with pay and atmosphere. I know KK can only pay so much, but surely they can find a grand total of 4 more employees (2 more for Lightning Run and 2 more for Wind Chaser (as needed)).

Big Bear Mountain is a family coaster. It's designed for kids 3 foot 3 to enjoy. That's why it didn't blow you away. The land was cleared to make construction possible. It will eventually grow in.

Assuming it is operational by then.

I just canceled my gold legacy memberships, I'm going to just buy the season passes in full now. The price differences simply weren't worth considering I'm saving $100+ now a year. The 3 main differences are... I had 20% merch discount down to 10%. I don't buy enough merch to warrant paying extra for 10% difference. 2 bring a friend free ticket down to 1 bring a friend free ticket per pass. Not worth paying extra for me. 1 refillable drink bottle down to 0. I don't drink that much soda to begin with and usually bring in water bottles anyway so I'm fine with this. I'll also have access to all the Cedar Fair parks now too and for less money than I've been spending per month. They had raised the memberships 2x in the span of like 8 months and it just became not worth it at that price point. Now with it being cheaper and I can go to Dorney a few times a year as well it just made sense to cancel and get the new season pass. I'm also owed $20 back per membership because of a refundable deposit so it's going to be interesting to see how long and how much of a headache they make that for me. It's also a reason I'm not interested in buying new memberships since it says the $20 is non refundable per pass now. I just don't see any benefit anymore in getting a membership over just paying in full for the season pass.

"Although, since that works on a wristband and not digitally I'm not sure what a one time will look like. May just be a paper pass." (Some of?) The legacy Cedar Fair parks now have FL wristband scanners. The single shot FL is automatically added to your pass when you scan into the park. All you have to do is scan your pass at the FL merge point, and you're good to go. I've already done this a couple times at KI. TT2 is the exception; you'll need to pick up a paper ticket in the gift shop across the way.

Thanks for all that Amy. I would be interested in seeing the numbers over people who purchased the all-Season Fast lane Plus. Hard to see a Family of 4 Forking out $4000 for that.

Six Flags Mexico has officially started its MVP Sale of the 2026 Season Passes The Gold Pass is $949 MXN (roughly $50 USD) and the Prestige Pass is $1999 MXN (around $108 USD)

I never get food at the park unless there is a pass holder reward for a free item during a food festival but you may want to reconsider eating at the park. Dragon Fire Grill was shut down by the health department and the report is not good: https://www.myfloridalicense.com/inspectionDetail.asp?InspVisitID=10899193&id=6133177

Hoping to get back to the park (at least) one more time, before The PNE officially opens (Sat.Aug.16~11 am) That said here's a PNE Photo Blast from The Past .... Here's hoping Santa (a/k/a Steve) will be back, grillin' ribs during his "off season." (PNE 2023)

I visited Six Flags Great America for the first time this week. I haven’t posted here in a long time but my flight home is currently delayed so I decided to write up a trip report. My home park is CW and I don’t have a lot of parks under my belt, but SFGAm has been close to the top of my bucket list with a strong line up of coasters. Overall, I was very impressed by the park. I was surprised that the park didn’t have a bigger footprint, as they cram a lot of rides into this park. This park has such a strong lineup of quality roller coasters. Unfortunately, Maxx Force was closed while I was there (rumor is it’s closed for the rest of the season?) however I was able to ride everything else. It was extremely hot while I was there and I don’t know if that kept crowds down a bit but it wasn’t crazy busy. Wrath of Rakshasa - This is a phenomenal dive coaster. I only have Yukon Striker & Valravn to compare it to, but it reminds me of a mini Yukon Striker. My biggest complaint about Valravn is how it hits the MCBR so early. Wrath hauls through its entire layout, and really whips you through the entire ride. Maybe a little shaking in the outside seats, but minor in my opinion. This is a slam dunk and I love how the queue and midway interact with the entire ride. The unique theming incorporated with this ride is a very nice touch too. Demon - A fun, classic Arrow looper. I love the vertical loops of an Arrow looper. I wish the lights in the tunnel were working. It’s a minor complaint, but I always think it makes a park seem cheap when there is an obvious feature of a ride that doesn’t work. Whizzer - My first time riding this type of roller coaster, and it was great! It’s obviously a great family roller coaster and has a nice setting as well. Superman - This was my first B&M flyer. I loved the pretzel roll, but besides that it doesn’t do a whole lot. They were only running 1 train and weren’t honouring Flash Pass on it (I paid for Ultimate so this rubbed me the wrong way with Maxx Force already closed as well). I can’t wait to try Manta & Tatsu after riding this. The Dark Knight - A fun wild mouse indoors. I wasn’t sure exactly what the layout was going in so it was fun to experience it in the dark. Families seemed to love this ride. Joker - This was a lot of fun, and spun more than I thought based on some reviews I had read. A short ride but fun when there’s not a line. Batman - My first of the Batman clones, and this lives up to the hype. One train operation which wasn’t great when it had a bit of a line. The inside queue before the station was a million degrees. Mix in the red lights and fake smoke, and it felt like you were being cooked. Even the station was warm enough, at least they had fans for the employees working in there. V2 - This was down for a lot of the day but I got lucky and it opened up as I was walking by. This was my first impulse and I really enjoyed it. The accelerating backwards is a lot of fun, which makes me want to get back to CP to try TT2. Aqua man - It was crazy hot while I was here. I jumped on to cool down and it was a fun ride and got myself more soaked than I was expecting which felt good when it was so hot out. For a park that seems to be lacking space, these water rides do seem to take up a lot of valuable real estate. I wouldn’t be shocked if this gets tore down someday for a new coaster, especially when they make people pay a separate admission to enter Hurricane Harbor. Goliath - An awesome RMC! I had pretty high expectations for this ride, and it delivered. Such a short ride it seems when you’re hauling through the course, but the airtime is great and the hang time is even better. American Eagle - A fun classic coaster, I got some night rides which were a lot of fun. I love that you have to walk a mile in the queue to get back to it. They were running both sides but not racing them unfortunately. (Side note while I’m talking about this area, the kids section back here was extremely depressing looking. It looks like they just threw some rides in an old theatre, and it looks like a haunted house is just left there permanently? This back section of the park could use a re-vamp if they were going to fix an area of the park up.) Sky Striker - My home park is CW, and this blows Psyclone away as this thing was running such a long cycle with so many full swings back and forth. The light package on it is amazing as well. It held a good line and was clearly one of the most popular rides in the park. X-Flight - A solid wing coaster, felt like a smaller Gatekeeper. It doesn’t really fit the County Fair theme (does any ride in this area?) but the flight theme for X-Flight itself was executed well for Six Flags with near-misses and landscaping. Justice League - This was a better interactive ride than I was expecting. The end scenes where you are racing through the city actually feel like you’re moving if you only focus on the screen. The air conditioning felt so good too on a hot day. Raging Bull - This thing is awesome. The airtime you get in the back was way better than I was expecting. The queue and overall theming of this entire area is very well done. Viper - I was very surprised at how good this was. I was expecting a rough old wooden coaster, but it delivered a great ride. Again, the ride’s little bit of theming in this area is great too. (While I’m talking about this area, the six flags app is not great. For some reason it was calling my home park “Six Flags Over Texas” and when you get close to Hurricane Harbor it kicks you out of Great America and shows you Hurricane Harbor instead). Overall, besides the one-train operations on Batman and Superman (and Maxx Force being closed) I was very impressed by this park. I see a lot of potential that the merger could bring (landscaping, consistent theming and ride ops could be slightly better compared to my home park of CW) but this is a park with several quality roller coasters that I’m glad to have had the chance to visit. (I attached a few quick pics I snapped as well).

^ lol. It's going to be interesting (and hopefully, fun), in figuring out, how the actual track layout will (might) go, with this new concept art.

Glad you had a good time!

I know it's nothing to do with the jungle theme but KD should retheme BSC to I-95 in Virginia and have it stop for 25 minutes when it gets to the helicopter scene for added effect, and then add a Sheetz to the end of the ride with someone getting arrested in the parking lot.