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As some of you may know I am the guy who put off his vacation when Dragster had its accident and I decided I didn’t want to come unless it was replaced or “remastered”. Then when it did come back reimagined I once again stopped my plans when it went down early in the season. And boy am I glad I did wait(more on that later). I stayed at hotel breakers with my mother from July 14-July 19. So I got 4 full park days and a half a day when we arrived because we got to the park at like 2pm. I’ve never done a trip report before so if this is a little rough bear with me. I have tons of thoughts, hot takes and opinions I’d really like to share. Let me start with the good. Immediately upon arriving they were able to accommodate our early check in request and had the room ready. Room was tidy, had no bad smells and had a perfect view of TT2(as I had requested lol). Immediately the hotel staff made us feel very welcome and had no issues answering our questions or taking our trash away. They were very very quick to respond to all requests such as extra blankets or coming by to pick up the trash(we were told to leave it outside the door). This kindness extended to the ride ops and all park staff we encountered. Everyone was super nice! The rides! After hearing on Facebook so many awful accounts of rides being closed that simply wasn’t my experience at all. Yeah Millie and Maverick went down twice at two inconvenient times but other than that I barely ever saw a ride closed. Let’s start with B&M’s. First thing I did was ride gatekeeper in the front row on the left. Starting the ride off with an inversion that flips you over the tracks was an awesome sensation! I really enjoyed it and the gate elements added a lot of fun to the ride experience. Rougaru was meh in terms of layout and honestly I didn’t enjoy it enough to ride more than once. Ironically I think my opinion of it would be far better if it was still a standup ride. But it was by no means bad and I didn’t find that my head banged around too hard. Raptor was awesome! My favorite B&M in the park by a good margin. It had a great layout with wippy inversions and a final helix that seems to go on forever(my favorite part). Unfortunately I do agree with the people who find Valraven very dull. It felt completely forceless to me and honestly I only have two good things to say about it. The smoothness and that last inversion gives you a little bit of hang time. I’m simply not much of a fan of Dive coasters Speaking of Forceless, let’s get to Millie. I have heard this ride called Millennium forcless for as long as I knew it existed. I got a front row seat for the first ride and was immediately struck by the view, the videos don’t do it justice. The first drop was awesome but I immediately greyed out in the helix and went on to grey out twice more in the layout. The ride was smooth and fun but I absolutely did not find it forcless at all! I do prefer Fury but this ride has aged VERY WELL IMO. I greyed out on that first Helix every single time. Magnum. Honestly respect the ride for its history but I hated it. Just too painful and I have massive bruises from it. Corkscrew, Gemini and Blue streak were also not very pleasant to be on and frankly I rode them just to say I tried them lol. The only two coasters I did not ride was Iron Dragon and Cedar creek mine ride. Wild mouse by Zamperla was fun! The only thing wrong with it was its very short layout. Great family ride. Let’s move on to the other Zamperla creation and my new number one coaster. TT2 was worth the wait and then some. Being thrown back at 100mph at like 350 feet was simply incredible. Both in view and strong floater airtime. Going up that top hat was really quite intense and being jerked over it into the downward spiral was nuts(especially back row). It bordered on uncomfortable but man I absolutely loved it guys. I have a TT2 blanket on me as I type this Sirens curse was very fun and while Cedar Point isn’t lacking in great coasters this was more than a solid addition. My only gripe with the ride is that I wish it had a bigger drop. The layout after the drop was really good and had no down time(great pacing). And man it was potentially the smoothest coaster I’ve ever ridden. The Vekoma at my home park is night and day difference in smoothness. Also that light package for nighttime is absolutely gorgeous and the on ride audio was super neat. Not to mention the very good theming around the queue. It’s not Disney, but they clearly cared and it shows. Next up we have two absolute gems! Maverick and Steel Vengeance. Both of these rides lived up to my high expectations. Mavericks low to the ground layout and snappy elements remind you that size isn’t everything. The launch under the station is a genius way to keep the layout compact. And boy at night you feel like you’re getting launched into the wall. Both Maverick and Vengeance are better at night. Steel Vengeance was completely insane. Like to the point I’m still not sure if it’s a great ride just because of the sheer intensity. The layout and ejector airtime simply can’t be appreciated by a forum post or a YouTube video. I would argue that as great as the first half is that the second half is even better. Visually just going through all that wood was so disorienting in the best way possible. And you really feel out of control. It’s probably the most intense ride I’ve ever ridden. I think I do prefer Maverick simply because I found it more comfortable as Steve was hard on my legs. I also loved how the rides very much feel like rivals and that the park embraced that fully with a backstory. The flat rides were good! Max air and skyhawk were standouts. I found power tower to be disappointing. You simply don’t drop far enough imo I really don’t have many negatives but they do exist. I think the employees being forced to ask every single time if you want a souvenir cup even if you’re holding one got old fast. I was very polite to them as I was informed beforehand they get into trouble if they don’t ask. It made me feel sad for them because you always have A Holes who you know treat them badly over it. The breakers wasn’t disgusting or anything but it certainly didn’t feel its price. I understand they’re getting away with that though because it’s simply a 5 star location and the convenience is ridiculously nice. I feel spoiled staying on site. The all season drink plan was so sooooo worth it. Getting to fill your body with power aide came in extremely clutch in the hot weather where it’s a struggle just to stay hydrated. I also really liked the food. Cheese on a stick didn’t disappoint me and the portion of fries with my meal was very large! The macaroni and cheese was to die for as well. We ended up eating outside the park one night at a place that was called Brick oven bistro or something like that. We loved our food and the price was very reasonable. Anyway guys my trip was everything I hoped for and more. The only bad part was my mom didn’t want to ride much. None of my guy friends or coaster buddies were available this summer (work, kids etc etc). But my mom did surprise me. She rode Sirens curse, gatekeeper, Valraven(the GP seem to adore this one) and I somehow talked her into riding Maverick even though she had read how intense it was. She walked away with Maverick being her favorite by far! If you know my mom this was a BIG plot twist lol. Unfortunately on our last night at the park we were in the queue and it broke and never reopened, so she never got her night ride in. Cedar point simply can’t be missed and I’m already hoping to return in a few years. 10/10 trip. I am so jealous some people get this as their home park. And with Kings Island not being too far it’s an embarrassment of riches for Ohio.

I went to the park yesterday & used the Ride Forces app to record forces on The Boss, you can clearly see how much smoother the Titan track is. The first graph is from 2024 recorded by StormSurge9099, & the second graph is the one I recorded yesterday.

Rapterra Takes Flight at Kings Dominion Kings Dominion’s old “safari” section has undergone many changes in the last few years. For example, the park introduced more sci-fi/fantasy elements by retheming it as Jungle X-pedition, where guests can explore the ruins and artifacts of an ancient civilization. Their latest “find” is the lost temple of Rapterra. This shrine was built to honor a legendary gigantic bird of prey that once ruled the skies over the jungle. Those who entered the temple were said to be possessed by the power and will of this ancient predator. A volcanic eruption buried the temple, but it has since been unearthed by archaeologists. But does the giant bird of prey still exist? What better way to tell this story this than with a B&M Launched Wingrider Coaster? Rapterra blasts people out of the station and through a series a twists, inversions, and dives over the caldera of the ancient volcano, which is a nice homage to the ride that once stood on this spot--Volcano: The Blast Coaster. The new ride also reuses Volcano's old gift shop. Kings Dominion invited TPR to ride Rapterra on March 20. It’s a good addition to the park, and the whole entrance plaza, queue, and theming for the ride look great. Let’s take a ride, shall we? You’d better finish any snacks you have on hand, as they could attract unwelcome attention from above. TPR thanks Kings Dominion for the chance to preview Rapterra! The ride officially opens to the public on March 29. The queue is huge. But it will give you time and the proper setting to meditate and prepare yourself to be possessed by Rapterra. Here's the caldera, which serves as a bit of a tribute to Volcano. Much of the rubble here is from the structure of the old ride's mountain. Oh, it's just an ancient archway built in tribute to dangerous god. What could possibly go wrong? "Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" Yes, the queue is nice, but it's time we got to the ride. They've been swept away by Rapterra! Yep--never walk through an ancient archway dedicated to a dangerous god. Looks like a drone has been dispatched to stop Rapterra! (Just kidding--it was part of a video shoot.) Fly, Rapterra, fly! I rather liked this part. But I appreciate big coasters with bunny hills, too. Eventually, Rapterra brings you back to the archaeological dig. I like the what they did with the control-room window--nice theming. Not everything has changed here--for example, this waterfall. Here's a peek at Pantherian (the ride formerly known as Intimidator 305 and one other name that escapes me for the moment). Flight of Fear is being incorporated into the Jungle X-pedition theme somehow, too. It'll be nice for the attractions to fit together better. They gave us some samples of what I presume was the cuisine of the ancient civilization that once existed here. Looks like they were really into smothering cheeseburgers with chicken tenders and bacon. They were, indeed, ahead of their time. I didn't get a sample of the local brew, but it was the CENTER OF THEIR UNIVERSE. How about a few last looks at Rapterra? I like how it flies not only over the caldera but also over the entrance plaza. One last dive and flip before you return to the station. Rapterra soars over the gift shop as I exit. Thanks for reading!

You really don't need to.

Soo after years of saying I wanted to, and my work blessing me with two days off in a row, I finally booked a very last-minute trip and made my way up here on the 17th. With that, the downside to this was that I only had a day in this park but I feel like I made the most of it. I did spend the extra $20 to get the drink pass and upon getting there decided also to buy the express - it looked like it was going to be a busier day in the park, and again I only had a day and wanted to ensure I was able to do everything. I did still miss some stuff, mostly the flatrides and I chose to skip Corkscrew. Steel Vengeance and Maverick are the hidden gems in the back of the park. SV is insane. I went into Maverick blind so I was also pleasantly surprised by it. Both coasters really pack some punches. I did find Maverick to be uncomfortable but that was kinda my own fault - accidentally stapled myself into the restraints. Rougarou exists. Ops were fun though. I kept track of my coaster credits because I wanted #50 (I know, I know... baby numbers) to be one of the crazy ones. After finally seeing TT2 with my own eyes it was kinda intimidating and it took me like all day to psyche myself up to do it. Made Siren's Curse my 50th credit. They put me and another single rider in the front. Terrifying. I'm gonna need that ride audio on Spotify or something though. I love the theming even if it is minimal, though I know its nitpicky, I do wish the track was green or teal instead of red. I just think it'd be more aesthetically pleasing. Iron Dragon is a fun family coaster. Happy I can cross a coaster like that off my list. Took a food break (all the food is great btw!) then did Gemini. Only one train on this day idk if that's a common occurance or not. Had more fun than I thought I would, though I was sat behind a kid who kept flailing his arms backwards and hitting me though, that was a little annoying. Got in line for Millennium Force three separate times (it was soft down the first two, then I had to unload on the third time.) Apparently the gates to get on the ride are suuuuper finnicky, and if people push or pull on them or whatever it can cause the trains to e-stop. Op explained this to everyone in line because I guess that caused a train to e-stop right before the unload. The more you know! Besides that, the actual coaster is very fun. I know it's a mixed bag on here but I found Valravn was very fun. I go back and forth between that and SV being my third favorite coaster here. Also my first experience with a dive coaster so that may be part of it. I survived Blue Streak I liked Raptor. I did not have high expectations because I don't love coasters of that style (please understand my home park is SFDL so my only other experience is Mind Eraser.) Magnum was alright. I fortunately didn't end up with bruises but it was a pretty rough ride. GateKeeper is fun. Literally just felt like I was flying, also adored it being in the front of the park and the 'theming' if you will with that. TT2 ended up being my last ride though not totally by choice. It went down four separate times while I was in line for it. Literally would run a few cycles with people, then would see it was just testing. By #3 I almost cut my losses and was about to just reride some favorites but I was already waiting for that long, I may as well see it through. I did not regret it, I literally don't have words. What an insane coaster. It's just... an experience you need to have if you're an enthusiast. By the time I got off it was a little past 9, so barely an hour left of park open. I wanted to try to still get some rerides in, but Iron Dragon went down around 8 and never reopened, and when I got off TT2 it went down again, and Siren's and MF were also down. So I decided that was my sign and headed out. My overall thoughts, now that I've actually experienced it CP very much deserves the hype it gets. It definitely makes the top 10 on my favorite parks list, probably even in the top 3. It probably will be a long while before I get to come back, but when I do I definitely will plan it better and make a longer trip out of it - so I can have a few days in the park and don't have to speedrun everything and can even take a day to the water park. I'm sure there's some stuff I missed but this is already a very long trip recap, sorry lol. I literally have dreams about some of these coasters I cannot wait to be back one day. That's all.

I figured I might as well share the pictures and videos from my trip before other parts of the park are closed and they becomes less applicable haha. Presented without commentary: VID_20250510_135432010.mp4 VID_20250510_174646873.mp4

Hesrchend and Parques Reunidos have announced a new agreement for Herschend to acquire all of Palace Entertainment's U.S. entertainment properties currently owned by Parques Reunidos. This will bring more than 20 new venues into the Herschend family of properties including Kennywood, Lake Compounce, Dutch Wonderland and more. https://www.hfecorp.com/whats-new/herschend-to-acquire-palace-entertainments-us-attractions-from-parques-reunidos/ Herschend and Parques Reunidos have signed a definitive agreement under which Herschend will acquire all of Palace Entertainment’s U.S. entertainment properties from Parques Reunidos. This agreement represents a significant milestone for both organizations—supporting Herschend’s strategic expansion in family entertainment and hospitality while allowing Parques Reunidos to reinforce its strategic focus on its core European market. “This year, we’re celebrating 75 years of bringing families closer together—and looking ahead to the next 75,” said Andrew Wexler, CEO of Herschend. “Today’s announcement marks a natural expansion and continuation of that vision. By growing wisely and staying true to our purpose, we are building a future where we can continue creating memories worth repeating for generations to come.” Palace Entertainment’s over 20 historic and beloved entertainment venues across 10 U.S. states will join Herschend’s growing family of world-class destinations. Palace’s diverse portfolio of amusement parks, water parks, family entertainment centers, campgrounds, and hotels includes notable properties like Kennywood in Pa., Pittsburgh’s thrill and entertainment destination known for its classic wooden coasters and modern thrill rides; Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, Pa., the world’s best family park and kingdom for kids; and Lake Compounce in Conn., which holds the title of America’s First Amusement Park and features the renowned Boulder Dash wooden roller coaster. With this acquisition, Herschend will strengthen its position as the world’s largest family-held themed entertainment company, with a broad portfolio of brands spanning theme parks, aquariums, resorts, and immersive attractions that collectively entertain more than 20 million annual guests. “We look forward to building upon the strong foundation that Palace Entertainment has created and welcoming these properties and hosts into the Herschend family of brands,” added Wexler. “The teams at these parks have done an incredible job building beloved destinations in their communities, and we look forward to learning from them, growing together, and building on their success. This is an exciting opportunity for all of us to continue creating exceptional experiences for guests and meaningful opportunities for our teams.” “Herschend is the ideal organization to lead Palace Entertainment’s unique properties,” said John Reilly, Palace Entertainment Chief Executive Officer. “Herschend is best in class in providing a high-quality guest experience within its parks. Palace Entertainment's team members and its parks are in great hands as we make this transition.” "Being a family business for 75 years has given us a deep understanding of what makes properties like these special—not just the rides and attractions, but the people who pour their hearts into them every day,” said Herschend’s Board Chair, Chris Herschend. “These historic and beloved properties have been family traditions for generations, and we are honored to help carry that legacy forward.” Herschend is committed to ensuring a smooth transition for employees (hosts), guests, and communities. No immediate changes are planned for daily operations as the company thoughtfully integrates these properties into its portfolio. In the coming months, Herschend will prioritize: Supporting its new employees with training, resources, and opportunities aligned with Herschend’s people-first culture. Maintaining continuity in guest experiences while exploring enhancements that align with Herschend’s commitment to high-quality entertainment. Proactively communicating with employees, guests, and local communities as the transition progresses. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close thereafter. BDT & MSD Partners is acting as Herschend’s exclusive financial and debt advisor and Goldman Sachs was the exclusive committed financing provider for the acquisition. Akerman, LLP is serving as legal advisor to Herschend on the acquisition, with Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP providing legal advice for the debt financing. J.P. Morgan is acting as the exclusive financial advisor for Parques Reunidos Group. A&O Shearman is serving as legal advisor to Parques Reunidos Group on the transaction.

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.

I really appreciate the inclusion of a Clench-O-Meter, Underwear Evacuation Rate, and Soul Exit Probability. This is proper hype.

Grab Your Hard Hats for a Tour of The Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf's Revenge Busch Gardens gave us a sneak peak at all the construction going on near the Festhaus and on the other side of the railroad tracks with a hard-hat tour of the Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf's Revenge. This new Bollinger & Mabillard (B&M) Family Inverted Coaster continues the story of the original Big Bad Wolf, which thrilled riders in Oktoberfest for 25 years. The original Big Bad Wolf was the first coaster for many local park guests--not to mention for their children and grandchildren. BGW wanted to bring back the spirit of the old ride, but with a fresh approach. Here's the back story of the Wolf's Revenge from the park's website: Kevin Lembke, park president, and Suzy Cheely, vice president, design and engineering, provided some background on the ride and answered questions from the group. Here's a little infographic to kick things off. The ride is longer than the Tampa park's Phoenix Rising (another B&M Family Inverted) and sports a 65-foot initial drop and two lift hills. The Wolf's Revenge tears through a Bavarian village, as the original ride did. The original Big Bad Wolf "means a lot to our guests," said Suzy Cheely, so they wanted to capture the feeling of the old ride and upgrade the storytelling. Even Drachen Fire, the previous coaster in this space, is contributing to the new ride. The old Arrow coaster's station and maintenance barn now belong to the Wolf's Revenge, so they've come full circle from being used as Howl-o-Scream mazes and storage buildings. A few other points before we brave the muddy path to the Bavarian village: There's no official opening date yet--just "spring 2025." The inverted trains will not "swing" as the old ride's trains once did. Wolf's Revenge might be open during Christmas Town this year, but that hasn't been decided yet. OK, watch your step as we explore The Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf's Revenge. Those who get mired in the muck be warned--there's a wolf in the vicinity! This, is, indeed, a hard-hat area--and we better not see anyone out here in sandals, either! Here's a less obstructed view of the station. It's been the home of numerous Howl-o-Scream mazes over the years since Drachen Fire was removed. The building was sound structurally, said Suzy Cheely, but they did put on a new roof and remove a lot of extra nails and bits from the old HOS mazes. The Wolf's Revenge's entrance will be what used to be Drachen Fire's exit. The first lift hill before the wolf howls and you plunge. A look at the original Big Bad Wolf's replacement: Verbolten. The ride crosses over the maintenance barn and the railroad tracks. Hmm--I wonder if the Witch of the Woods was upset when she was evicted. Perhaps she's sharing a place with Scarlett, one of the park's other HOS witches. The ride is actually bigger than I expected. Kevin Lembke answers questions. Another look at where the ride crosses over the barn and the railroad tracks. As you can see, it's a bit "twisty," but there are no inversions. The wolf charges through the village gates here--nice touch. Suzy Cheely talks about the ride's theming elements and construction. Here's an unobstructed view of some of the village. Those who rode the original Big Bad Wolf will, no doubt, find some the architecture familiar. Suzy Cheely said that they've been very careful about the ride's clearance near the church steeple. This is a "foot chopper" heavy ride. I was rather taken by this stable. I imagine the farm animals were taken from it--and eaten! Time to head back for lunch at the Festhaus. They treated us to some spicy Mardi Gras food, beads, and some lemonade spiked with vodka. Let the good times roll, indeed! Thanks for reading.

I am hoping to be very wrong about the relocations for the coasters. I really think the spinning mouse and the kiddie coaster are the only ones moved within the chain and maybe the only one moved period. I could see Firebird or the SLC going to somewhere random like Brazil, I guess, but I wouldn't bet on it. The woodies are done. Superman is too big both in terms of cost to move and trying to fit the footprint anywhere. Nothing with an LIM launch is getting moved in 2025, nor is a Vekoma Flying Dutchman. Sad days ahead as these all get scrapped.

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

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.

They're assembling the carousel now.

Here are some photos of AlpenFury I captured today while at the park. It isn't quite complete yet, but very close! AlpenFury looks to be a great coaster once it does open!

After our brief but wonderful taste of Europa Park the prior evening, it was hard to sleep knowing that we'd have two full days to enjoy the resort ahead of us. I managed to grab what rest I could, eagerly awaiting the morning's exclusive ride time. We started with Blue Fire, another of the park's coasters that I had long anticipated getting the chance to ride. This is one sleek train! ERT earned many thumbs up! As soon as ERT was over, Robb and I rushed over to The Can-Can Coaster (Eurosat), not for the traditional ride experience, but for the newly-opened The Phantom of the Opera Coastiality VR experience. Replacing the previous Valerian VR experience that debuted with the rebuilt Eurosat, this new experience leans heavily into the fandom surrounding Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic musical. The queue is filled with props from the show... The queue also serves as pre-show experience before the VR elements begin, setting the stage for your visit to L'Opera Populaire in Paris. Fans of Andrew Lloyd Webber can find in-universe nods to some of his other works. I'll be absolutely honest. I'm not a huge fan of VR experiences on coasters. But I am a huge fan of Phantom of the Opera--I've seen the show seven times in my life, the movie countless times and I've listened to the soundtrack far too many times to count. For this reason, I wasn't going to be to visit Europa Park without seeing how such a beloved (albeit likely incompatible) IP could translate to a theme park ride experience. Unlike other VR experiences I've been on, this one had you put on the headset while standing in a room away from the loading platform. From here the pre-show experience begins in Box 5 of the Paris Opera House, the Phantom's preferred booth. Surprisingly, the booth lowers from the theater down into the catacombs below to reveal the Phantom's lair. Standing alongside others who are also wearing the VR headsets (you and others around you are represented as period-appropriate avatars, mine an older woman in a purple dress and Robb's a man with a monocle, a black top hat and a grey mustache) you are guided by another avatar through the catacombs to a convenient train of gondolas. What you don't realize is that from behind the VR helmets, you are walking to the Eurosat trains. And through the VR experience you are actually expected to walk to and get into your seats. If the VR isn't spot on (whether because of the headset placement or how it has sync'd up), then your results on getting in safely may vary... But I absolutely give them credit for such a ballsy approach. Once seated, your gondolas take off and begin on a journey that summarizes the key points of the musical's story in a compressed format. Logic, science and physics cease to matter as, once you ascend Eurosat's lift hill, your point of view shifts from the turning gondolas to a glowing orb that floats and flies through the story's scenes. The ride kicks off strong with the Phantom bringing down the chandelier to the famous tones of the show's main overture, and as the chandelier collides with the stage, you go crashing through it, down and into the catacombs. Flying through the layout of the physical coaster, you inexplicably weave in and out of the Paris Opera as it crumbles and burns, pausing near the end for Raoul and Christine to kiss in front of its burning remains, before returning inside to revisit the Phantom's lair, where he appears briefly and disappears in a gag that mirrors a final moment from the show, All in all, it was an interesting way to translate the show to a ride. The VR graphics aren't quite there yet and the syncing with the coaster's movement never really felt perfectly aligned--both reasons why I was in love with the end result, but as a Phantom fan, I'm grateful that Europa Park was gutsy enough to choose such a property for this experience. Now time for another hotly anticipated experience! Due to our visit taking place near Halloween, the coaster's signature music had been replaced with a special track for the season. "It's Halloween" plays on repeat throughout the queue and inside of the ride itself during this overlay. And I guess it is because I didn't know what I was missing--I thought it worked really well. Euro-Mir was a really fun ride (with a somewhat wild finale) and the randomized rotations made it very re-rideable. You know we had to come back for more Voltron! I love that the Croatia section of the park features three animatronics of Nikola Tesla (one in the queue, one at the start of the coaster and one in an outdoor area in the land). I strongly considered buying this Coaster Dynamix Nanocoaster but I haven't finished assembling several of the ones I already own. Silver Star stands in the foggy distance... Madame Freudenreich Curiosités was a very cute way to repurpose the "Universe of Energy" dinosaurs for a more unique (and less knock-off-ish) experience. The ride has a cute story. Familiar but different. There are lots of dinosaurs to be found in the ride. Not our dino, TPR has a bobsled team! Long had I waited for this moment! And Schweizer Bobbahn did not disappoint! The Swiss section of the park is charming and narrow... But most importantly... It is home to raclette! TPR takeover of the raclette hut! The park has so many beautiful areas to enjoy. I love the faux bateaux mouche so much! Europa Park had already been a delicious and refreshing experience so far! Time for more cute dark rides! Adorable. How does one follow up such cuteness? With coasters, of course! It was nice to just hang out for a bit. Of all of the rides inspired by Disney's Haunted Mansion that we experience on this trip, Castello dei Medici was certainly one of them. There's definitely key differences here. But there are also far more blatantly derivative sections. Familiar but different. There's even a hitchhiking ghost-equivalent finale. Though I have no affinity for the IP, "ARTHUR - In the Minimoys Kingdom" is a pretty neat mini land. The power suspended coaster was fun and unique. I love the architecture in the Iceland section of the park. And Wodan was a solid wooden coaster that has been well maintained. The station fly-through is such a fun element. Whale Adventures – Northern Lights is easily one of the cutest splash battles I've ever seen. Animatronics and flammable buildings out and about to enhance the lands' theming. I LOVE IT. I wish I had more time to spend in the Scandinavian section of the park. Snorri Touren is a gem of an attraction that no amount of research had prepared me for. Snorri is simply the best. This dark ride is not without value for adults. The gist of where the story takes you while onboard... Our carriage awaits! Our journey begins... Some great set design for this attraction. You can't go wrong with singing trolls. Snorri plays the mushroom drums. You can bet I brought a plush Snorri home to my son. Familiar but different. Some neat elements in the queue... Lots of exposition but I couldn't understand what it was. While he isn't Snorri, Jopie is great too. Piraten in Batavia feels similar but different to Pirates of the Caribbean. Some scenes are more recognizable than others. Jopie is helping to escape! Very pretty sets. I spy with my little eye, someone that is Mack. The ride's finale ends with an impressing series of projection mapping effects. Familiar but different. Equally familiar but different. Where have I seen one of these before? It was too cold for my tastes to ride Fjord-Rafting during our visit. Atlantica Supersplash looking good. This place is a theme park fan's dream. So cool to see in person! Such a fun and pictureseque coaster! Our time in Europa Park came to a close for the day... But our adventure was just beginning. As we had an evening set aside to experience Rulantica! Due to our limited time I have virtually no photos from inside, but I can't rave enough about the water park. This is the first indoor water park I've been to, but the bar was set so much higher than I anticipated. Rulantica is packed with themed areas, great water slides and some excellent spaces. Vildstrøm is the star of the show--a wild outdoor body slide that doesn't require you to go one at a time. Hilarity and chaos ensue. Robb has some fantastic video from our experience... The park was kind enough to let us try the Snorri Snorkling VR experience which was unlike anything I'd done before. It followed a similar story to Snorri Touren from in the park, but this time, experiencing it while gliding through the water. Super unique--mildly bizarre. I'm glad I had the chance to do it. After a wonderful evening at Rulantica, it was time to head back to the hotel for some rest. Tomorrow would bring even more adventures.

day 7 (full day at Alton Towers) concluded: continuing our way around this side of the park, the next thing we came to was Smiler yeah. .this 14 (!) inversion coaster looked really intense. I was wary of it, but since we had the fast passes, we figured we'd try to ride everything. it broke down while we were in line tho, so denied (for the moment) it really is sensation overload. . even just in the queue - the blasting giggling over the loudspeakers gets into your head! the employees didn't look thrilled with their outfits, but one of them did confide in me that "at least they are warm" what a gigantic mess of track! with Smiler down, we went over to the world's first dive coaster, Oblivion. I'd heard about this one for ages. . but didn't realize it's really just a drop. there isn't much to this coaster, but being the first of it's kind meant that it was a must ride. and ya know what? it gives a hell of a thrill still. I quite enjoyed it. Smiler was still down, so we headed towards the forbidden forest area - the only part of the park we hadn't explored yet, and home to the last two coasters here. cutting thru the ruins at the center of the park along the way it was a shame that Hex was down - as I love madhouses, and I'd heard this was a good one. but hey, a reason to go back at some point! whoops. . we'd taken a wrong turn and totally missed the forbidden forest area, and ended up in the world of David Walliams. as a fan of Little Britain, I knew who he was, even if I wasn't familiar with his kid's books. But the Gangsta Granny ride sounded great - and it was a fun , stupid, dark ride, that I think I rode a 1/2 doezen times. so well worth the stop over in this section. it even had a photo op! why yes, I'm the Queen this was apparently a building they used for a show that was not running at the moment. but next to it was a sizzler . . and a small carousel. on site in the park, there was also an Alton Towers Dungeon - which one of the workers told us was about to shut down, so we made sure to do it the next day. glad we did too, as they seem to have removed it from the park, so I got to experience my first ever "Dungeon" (in talking to others on the trip, the Dungeon experience is very similar in different locations, but typically do include a ride of some sort - in this case, was a boat ride in the middle of it). we finally found our way over to where we had been headed earlier tho: home to Rita and 13 the last two coasters in the park we hadn't seen yet. I did enjoy Rita for what it is. . . but found it to be really rather short. Just when I thought we were gearing up for another launch, we pulled into the station. it was fun tho, and I believe i did ride it a couple of times. 13 (Thirteen) is 100% a family coaster, but I truly don't understand why some are disappointed in it. for what it does? it does very, very well. and I enjoyed it. but my favorite coaster in the park? Wicker Man. we had ERT on it tomorrow night. . but that didn't stop me from riding it several times during the 1st day. I absolutely loved the layout, the fire/smoke effects, and that double down / double up lift/drop. so, so good. even the station was kewl! and the exit thru the gift shop offered lots of great swag! making a face, but seriously, I loved this! and some Rita pics and the mine train. . . Nick had photo pass, and he must have shared them all with us at this point, since all are together in my pics Oh, I was incorrect. . we hadn't been to all the coasters yet. We had come back to this area earlier, but only rode sub-terra. . we hadn't actually gone into the main area, and ridden Nemesis or Galactica. . so we headed back over that way. Nemesis looks amazing. . and that giant eyeball in the center moves to follow the trains! and it blinks. . . really rather creepy. more characters out, patrolling the area (there were also a group of "freaks" out, protesting to protect the creature from government prodding). it's good! Galactica is a B&M flyer. . and yeah. . it knocked the wind out of me. a bit too intense! I liked it. . but yeah, 1 and done for me. way too intense. it was almost time to head back across the park for Smiler ERT. . . but we swung past Nemesis again for a few more pics (and another ride) to get back over to Smiler, we decided to cut thru the "Gardens" section of the park. it's hard to believe we're still in the middle of a theme park (tho to be fair, I think if the skyride had been operating, instead of in refurb mode - now back open I hear - it wouldn't have seemed so "forrest-ry" back at Smiler, which was now back up and running. Group pic before ERT. I'd be danged if I didn't ride it at least once. . even tho I KNEW I wasn't gonna like it. (and I didnt' care for it. . the 14 inversions were just a bit too much for me. . so I was one and done,and then took pics of others riding it). it's a great looking ride, just too much for me, but i know a lot of folks on this trip LOVED it. and they were yelling out inversion counts as it went. the photo must be early on, as I was still enjoying the ride at this point. not sure about how Colin felt tho. . LOL the track is so long, they can operate multiple trains. . . which with the twisted up track, really gives the impression they might hit each other! I did make it to the end of ERT, even tho only rode that one time, and then we headed back to the hotel to grab some food and crash after a long, exciting, and exhausting, day. I wasn't too hungry tho. . perhaps Galactica and Smiler back to back had my stomach in knots. . . so I stuck with a desert. and no, I didn't share and with that, it was off to shower, and bed. Tomorrow was another full day at the park, and there were a ton of things I wanted to ride, and re-ride.

Kumba is now running again.

After an incredible week in and around Munich, it was time to move on to the theme park-focused portion of trip. Our travel day from Munich to Europa Park was spent mostly on the bus (with a brief rest stop visit along the way), but the payoff would come in the form of an early evening arrival at Europa Park. Robb and Elissa along with the team at Europa Park surprised us with a few hours of access to the park followed by an hour of exclusive ride time on the park's newest addition, Voltron Neverra. With two full days in the park ahead of us, it was a great first taste of just why Europa Park has earned world-class praise. Local soda flavors continue to be a travel passion of mine and Germany continued to impress. What happened to Germany's original Milky Way if they're already on Milky Way 2? On the way to Hotel Colosseo we got our first look at Rulantica, Europa's water park which we'd be visiting on the next day. In terms of themed hotel environments, this is one of the nicest I've experienced. Inside of the park for our few hours of access before our Voltron Neverra exclusive ride time, we enjoyed the sights of Europa Park. In a lot of ways, it feels like the park has found ways to utilize their land creatively, embedding multiple attractions in unique, intertwining spaces that look excellent. My jaw nearly hit the floor when we made it to this section of the park. Alpenexpress Enzian re-opened in 2024 after a fire in 2023 destroyed much of its layout along with several other parts of the Austrian section of the park. Europa Park goes out of its way to celebrate Halloween with a unique parade and a Halloween overlay to an existing attraction (we'll get back to that later). Hi Snorri! There's so much happening in this photo. It's almost too much to process as a theme park fan. Something I especially admire about Europa Park is its willingness to invest in animatronics for queues, scenic spaces and themed areas simply meant to pass by. I don't know that there's a wild mouse I've ever anticipated riding more than Matterhorn Blitz. The double-train elevator at the start of the ride is a neat touch. Matterhorn Blitz was a really fun coaster. Nothing earth-shattering but the layout was literal leaps-and-bounds ahead of standard wild mouse coasters. Familiar yet different. It was finally time to visit the park's new Croatia-themed area and its signature attraction... Long had I waited for this moment and even longer had I doubted that I'd ever have the chance for it to happen. This coaster is relentlessly intense and much longer than you'd expect. Each element of the coaster flows seamlessly from the previous and the train's unique seating allows you to be whipped around through inversions while being held in purely by a lap bar. Such a unique element and a great way to kick off the coaster's outside layout. Such a picturesque coaster. ERT was such a great surprise and Voltron more than lived up to the hype. This is quite easily one of the best rollercoasters I've ever been on, and having an hour to ride it repeatedly only solidified that notion. I could have kept going for hours more! Familiar yet different. Grand Prix of Europe is a new interactive dark ride that will open at the park in 2025. We passed through the grounds of the Hotel El Andaluz on our way back to the Hotel Colosseo... Absolutely beautiful. Dinner at Antica Roma kicked off with a wide selection of cheeses... Are you even in Germany if you're not having a beer each day? Antipasti for dinner! A new Cornetto Cone flavor for the books! After dinner we assembled for TPR's first ever competitive puzzling challenge. Joey and I participated. It was also the trip's designated time for the snack exchange and many treats were had. Here's a photo of a trophy I didn't come close to getting. After an evening of fun, it was time to get some rest, because tomorrow would be our first of two full days at Europa Park.

Are we incapable of putting more than one sentence within a single post?

Day 3 - Night-time back at Oktoberfest Faire - with a lot of time spent in the "Old Oktoberfest Museum" area after a break for foot resting, and a shower, some of us met down in the lobby to head back to Oktoberfest for some Sunday evening fun. i was determined that I wanted to go to the section I had seen the prior days - a sectioned off area, that SEEMED to be an Oktoberfest museum of some type - or "old Oktoberfest". It cost 4 Euro to enter that area, but it seemed large, with a covered bandstand, a beer tent, and a large outdoors section. looking it up online, showed that my assumptions above were pretty spot on, so I really wanted to do that, and a group of folks who were also interested joined me on this quest tonight. since it was way in the back (behind the ferris wheel) on the main "street". . we once again came thru the main gate. not nearly as busy as it had been, since we were here on a Sunday night now. but still not empty. and it was cold - so had put on a few layers. this is where we'd be tomorrow, as we had reserved tables in the Lowenbrau tent. (and yes, the lion is animatronic, and takes drinks of beer ) Andrew giving "Andrew face". . . LOL . . . standing at the entrance to the "Old Oktoberfest" area (I'm just calling it that. . no idea if that's what it's officially called). Looking back towards the main entrance - we're seeing the back side of the Ferris wheel. Tickets bought, we enter into this section (again, it's only 4 Euro. . .but turned out it was WAY worth it. not only was it much less crowded back here, but once in this sectioned off area? all rides (fair classics) were only 1.50 . . .a hell of a deal, and they were running great cycles). right away, I knew I was gonna love this place, just from the outside display of old tractors/carts. scattered food stands around too.. not much business tho, as there turned out to be food available with sit down service inside the main building (with music and a bit warmer, so most did that). the entrance into the main building in this area. . .where the Museum portion is, the food service, the bandstand. . and a classic, CLASSIC carousel. I was in heaven. from in front of the Carousel, getting a layout of this building. on the left is the bandstand, in the middle is the restaurant, straight ahead is an enclosed area where one could rent and ride old bikes in the ring. on the other side of the carousel is a large section with old props from classic attractions at the faire - and there was history all along the outside walls. Some went to get beer and grab a sit down right away. . my ass was going directly to the Carousel. but there wasn't anyone in the operating booth at the moment, so I went around the back of it to take a look at the classic props. many of them from old "Ghost Train" attractions. sexy! I wish I could read German. . . but I was able to get the gist of most of the signs. by the time I got back around to the Carousel, the guy was in the booth, and sold me a ticket. and then ran if just for me I rode a horse. then got off, bought another ticket and rode again, this time in a carriage - which did actually rock! (I was afraid to rock the horse, as the carousel is so old, and i"m not exactly "light" happy as hell on a classic carousel. . . after my two rides, I joined the rest of the gang I was hanging with, at the table, and ordered beer and food along with them. Pic courtesy of the waiter when he came back to take food order. Lunch had been big, and I wanted to snack in the fair as well.. .so wasn't too hungry. they also were out of several things on the large menu (hadn't restocked for the coming week yet, and it was on Sunday evening, remember), but of what was avail. everything was good. the band was quite loud in the enclosed space, but they were good. and it was a lot of fun. I think we hung out in here for a good hour plus, and I posted to the group about the food and atmosphere available back here in this section in case anyone wanted to check it out on a fairly quiet night. after eating, I took a walk around the front part of the building to check out some of the displays - while the others had another beer. the sign by the Bicycle rink. these were a big draw back in the day! the history of the Oktoberfest posters. many of them were available for purchase (but I have neither the wall space, nor the $$ to get em). Some were great tho, and I got magnet versions. classic ride vehicles. hey. .some more TPR folks came out to this section. hiya Christopher, Erik and Chuck! enough time hanging out in the main building, we ventured outside to check out what else was on offer. this is the back of the Beer tent. . which according to the information I could read, was supposed to be full of folks in traditional Oktoberfest garb, and music/atmosphere. as we had just experienced basically that in the main building, we walked around this one rather than go thru, to see the lined avenue back here. (don't think we really missed much, as they seemed to be shutting it down due to lack of big crowd on Sunday night, and if folks wanted beer they could get it in the main building). several smaller flat rides were out here lining the avenue. classic older rides. and carnival type games and attractions. this made me giggle so hard. . I think it's the look on the dummy's faces. another classic carousel. . tho this one seemed to be a kiddie, so didn't even try. it was lovely tho. . . I adore that "Elephant" can get an old timey photo too. all done with cardboard cut outs. not creepy at ALL. ok. . now THIS is what I'm talking about. a Calypso.. running a fantastic and long cycle. for 1.50. many of us got a ride. even had that cheesy 70's artwork that has nothing to do with the ride (other than the name is kinda tropical) really is a beautiful ride tho: this cabinet of classic prizes was just for display. . which is a shame, as I would have tried to knock over those stupid cans to try to win some of these. these looked to be hitting HARD. not sure if Knoebels level, but probably pretty close! this Waltzer had the biggest crowd, and after watching for a bit, we saw why. they sold tickets and you had to hover around and hope that a car stopped near you, and the folks riding got out (some bought multiple tickets and stayed put). .and then it was a mad dash to get your ass into an empty seat. the music was BLASTING loud, classics - we rode to Hot Chocolate "Every one's a Winner" plus another song. . and the annoyance on the operators face when the fair came on the loudspeakers to make an announcement was hysterical. the operator, was speeding up and slowing down based on a hand crank. . that he would crank based on the riders reactions. Oh, all while chugging beers. it was so freaking awesome. .and just might be my best memory of the whole trip. (if not, it's really really close) in fact, I just pulled up Hot Chocolate on Youtube while typing this up, and it brought me RIGHT back to this ride. awesome. just for show, as noted they were blasting 70's classics thru the speakers inside the ride. straight back, you can see the operator by his crank (long coat and hat) . . watching the crowd. after hanging out back here for probably 2 hours total, we finally exited and made our way back into the fair proper. a last look back. . this area was so worth it to me. where should we go in the fair? why of course! and some snacks. . . but not these. I was worried they'd be the same consistency I hadn't cared for from the meal the other night. but . . c'mon. . balls! gotta take a pic hey, got a different face out of Andrew! and walking by my favorite place - the Carousel Bar - spotted a big TPR group on the Carousel. with room, so we joined them for some fun hangout time PROST!! a princess balloon in the center of the Carousel bar ceiling. . . going around and around for several pints. . . if I wasn't just loving being on the actual carousel? I totally would have gotten off it to grab this seat once the lady left. it looked a little awkward. . but c'mon.. you sit on the horse AT the table. . . that's so freaking awesome. ok. .enough drinking.. time to get a few more rides in. I think we headed to Alpen Bahn and Voodoo Jumper again. but no, wasn't drunk enough to want to pose like Marilyn (but I wish I had been.. that would have been such a great pic) getting to be late, and things were starting to shut down. . so we headed towards the exits going out the main gate tho, I noticed that the memorial I had seen yesterday lights up, and truly is worth a look at night. and then it was time to head back to the hotel. . . as it had been a long day, was slightly buzzed, and tomorrow was our BIG day at Oktoberfest - reservations in the tent, a meal, and all the fun and excitement.

I was about to congratulate Great Adventure on making it through an entire weekend without crashing or derailing a coaster. They ALMOST made it, but now...

A Holiday Stroll Around Christmas Town Ah, it 's that magical time of year again. The smell of fresh pine trees is in the air, the laughter of happy children is everywhere, and adults are downing copious amounts of holiday grog. Yes, Christmas Town has returned to Williamsburg. Care to take a stroll with me around the park to takes in the sights of the season? We start with the walk from the parking lot to the park entrance. Preferred parking, which is included with my membership, was full by the time I got there on Sunday, December 9, around 4:30 pm. I had to park in the outer reaches of the Ireland lot, which offers both tram service and a new path for those who care to hoof it. The tram line was huge, so I took the path. The walk took about ten minutes, and it gave me another view of this version of Santa. This used to be in Festa Italia (aka Holiday Hills), but it greets drivers as they enter the parking lots this year. Looks like Santa misplaced his reins and harness--or perhaps he's using invisible magic reins to keep his reindeer in line. The Enchanted Tree with the Big Balls greets you at the entrance to England. It wouldn't be Christmas Town without it. I've always liked England's traditional wreaths and garlands. On the left is the Globe Theatre, where you can take in BGW's musical version of Dickens's A Christmas Carol--Scrooge No More. It's probably the best of their holiday shows. How can you really go wrong with this Dickens classic? Some of the cast appear as carolers between shows and perform in front of the theatre. And keep an eye open for Father Christmas. It's always a "Blue Christmas" in the Scottish Highlands. Ireland, of course, stresses the green and gold. The Abbeystone Theatre is the home of Gloria, a show about the birth of Christ using traditional and contemporary music. Ireland is also where you can partake of Santa's Fireside Feast. This building has hosted a few other attractions over the years. The scrambler (aka Le Catapult) used to be in this building. It's also the former home of the Enchanted Laboratory and Castle O'Sullivan shows. Now it's Santa's buffet away from the North Pole, and Mrs. Claus always makes sure there are plenty of cookies. I like the path between Ireland and France. The luminaria are a nice touch, it always smell like freshly cut pine trees, and the gypsy wagon looks nice with its festive green lights. France is also looking very festive. The Palace Theatre hosts Twas the Night, a figure-skating show, if that's your thing. The Merry Misfits vocal group also performs on a stage next to the ice-cream parlor. Griffon was closed, as were Apollo's Chariot, Pantheon, and Tempesto. All the park's other coasters were operating. Fort New France (aka Canada) is where you board the Christmas Town Express for a grand circle tour of Busch Gardens and, if you're unlucky, a bunch of people singing off-key carols in your ear for 20 minutes. (This is just one of the hazards of the holiday season.) Still, it's a nice ride and on Quick Queue (seriously, the line for this can get very long on busy days during Christmas Town). They were running two trains last night, so the wait wasn't bad. I didn't get any decent photos of the trip, but I like these wreaths in the New Caribou Station. Here's Santa's Workshop in Germany--a nice meet-and-greet spot. The Burgermeister's Hideway speakeasy is running a Christmas-themed program with appropriate Christmas cocktails, but it fills up fast. Let's head to the Festhaus for a brew. During Howl-o-Scream, the Festhaus is full of fiends, but during Christmas Town it's home of O' Tannenbaum. a synchronized music-and-light show held on the Christmas tree above, and Up on the Haustop, with modern Christmas songs. It also has this cool chandelier and some magical theme-park snow. Hmm--looks like this Porsche might have crashed in the snow. The tow truck can't get here until spring, so we may as well decorate it. The view from the bridge between Germany and Italy. This is my favorite of the park's many Christmas trees. It also provides a nice backdrop to the freakishly large Santa heads of Holiday Hills (aka Festa Italia). The large Santa heads and candy canes remind of bit of the Christmas decorations of my hometown in California when I was a kid. Of course, we didn't have a spinning teacup ride, which is probably for the best. That about says it all. Let's move on to the the Polar Pathway. There's another synchronized music-and-light show here. They use some 1950s style Christmas music, including some rockabilly stuff. Never before has a natural disaster looked so festive. The Sesame Street Forest of Fun celebrates trees of all colors. Time to head home via blue Scotland . . . . . . and Merrie Olde England. Be sure to wish Father Christmas a "Happy Christmas" on your way out. "Ho, ho, ho! The president of the Claus Organization thanks you for visiting Christmas Town. Go home and continue to make merry!" Thanks for joining me on this stroll through Christmas Town.

Day 5: Travel day, but with a stop at another surprise on this trip - Barry Island (a seaside resort town in Wales) - where we'd stop along the way to Drayton Manor. I thought the scenery in Wales was quite lovely, even if a bit industrial. so I snapped pics from the bus as we passed areas on the morning drive: as we got closer to the seaside town of Barry, there was some nice architecture that we passed too: and off in the distance? our destination for a "quick" stop (I think we were there about 4 hours?) on the drive - Barry Island. the Ferris Wheel was a giveaway, as was what they advertised as the tallest ride in the UK, AeroSpace (a Booster carnival ride) Barry Island is a seaside resort area, that reminded me a bit of Seaside Heights area, but without the boardwalk stalls. lots of homes in this area headed down to the beach. . tho not sure if folks live here year round, or rent them out for vacationers. pulling up into the "Amusement" area of Barry Island. this made me giggle, as it's giving off some "Amityville" vibes the area around here seemed very "touristy" and perhaps a bit "well loved". . but I was liking the atmosphere we had made good time, and the main Amusement area hadn't really opened yet (Robb & Elissa were meeting with the park owner at opening - he was quite the character, and was very excited that TPR was visiting his amusement park. so we passed a bunch of non-cycling (for the moment) rides. that tall one there is AeroSpace. pulling into the parking lot, the beach area is quite lovely - even tho it was a bit overcast, and maybe a little chilly for me. but I had a jacket and was ready to go! a bit windy, and as noted, a bit chilly. but ready to have some fun. bumped into Santa Biker on the path from the lot to the rides areas - as we decided to walk along the beach in search of a public restroom. Very nice guy, as was pretty much everyone I met today at Barry Island. and one of the 1st things I saw was a rainbow bench. I felt very welcome, in my big, gay, sunglasses (which I kept getting compliments on. . LOL. . I brought them on the trip as I didn't care if I lose them) a map of Barry Island, including the rides, and attractions. again, a bit run down / "well loved". . but I really did enjoy the atmosphere, and the design. there is another cluster of amusement rides at the far end of the beach area (near the public restroom) and this one actually was open early. so many on the trip flocked here first, to get the kiddie credit. personally, I don't tend to ride many kiddie things - I don't judge, but just cause it's a coaster doesn't mean I'm gonna ride it - so I took pics while others rode. Hi Albert! the ONLY reason I didn't hop into this chair, is because I was worried my fat ass wouldn't be able to get out of it creepy clown bouncy play area not quite the same as the Legoland fire academy we'd seen a couple of days prior. . . but I loved that it's called "Fire Blasta" Andrew, Stacy, Nick (I think David behind him) and Ryan enjoying the caterpillar coaster. one of several smaller carousels available to ride at Barry Island. the "fun bus" looks like a tight squeeze for fun. across the way looked like a casino? but it wasn't open yet, and we didn't' really have a lot of time to spend on things that weren't all that interesting to most of us. so we skipped it. the big park was about to open, so we headed in to meet up with the TPR group. on the main Carousel, one could ride in a carriage with the Queen! lots and lots of flat rides here. . mostly running decent cycles. it's a pretty good carnival set up. ohhhh. .a ghost train! featuring Boney M music??? sadly no, but still I enjoyed it when we rode it later. I just hummed "ra-ra-Rasputin, lover of the Russian Queen" in my head while we rode didn't "ride" this as was afraid of breaking it! but I did want a pic on it what IS it with scary clowns in European countries? still some remnants of Covid Protocols in place, tho no one was really following them at this point. it was time to head over to meet up in front of AeroSpace, and get our tokens to ride stuff. and TPR was gonna get rides on this "UK's tallest ride" here's the group with the owner of the Barry Island amusement area. I am NOT a fan of heights. . but I was willing to ride this. I ended up regretting it, as I hung on for dear life once I realized if the restraint releases while you're at the top, there's absolutely nothing that will keep you from falling out of that seat. I was terrified - worried something would release. and was also in pain - as this was the place on THIS trip where I got injured. Something I seem to do on every trip, cause I'm a klutz. But at least this wasn't my fault - on this ride, they had a very gung ho operator (a short little fireplug of a lady) who jumped up and slammed her full weight into the restraint to get it secure. It took the breath out of me the 1st time she did it as I wasn't expecting it. but then they had to undo the restraints to walk someone off who they deemed too large to ride (which is what created my fear of them undoing while at the top), and when she came back and closed my restraint the same way? I actually felt my rib snap when her full weight came down on it. luckily I always bring really good painkillers with me on trips, so was able to make thru the rest of the trip relatively ok. . tho it took almost 8 weeks to heal enough that I could sleep on that side. but I digress. . I rode it and it was fun. smiling. . but more of a grimace thru the pain in my ribs. it *was* fun. . .don't get me wrong. . but terrifying too. the pics are courtesy of Elissa and Andy, I believe. (Daniel is filming for Robb if you're wondering what's on his arm in some of the pics) after the rides, we were cut loose for a couple of hours to do what we wanted before meeting back up at the bus later. it was suggested we eat, but I really needed to pee by this point. . and over on this side of the park, the only restrooms were in the pubs (and for patrons only). so Stacy and I went to get a drink. . and met this lovely bar owner. she was so nice, and we had a good chat with her while sipping our cider & Lager. PROST! (no wait.. that's the other TPR Trip report I'm doing) SOMEBODY noticed that the dragon coaster over here had started running, and wanted to get a ride. so I hung out and took pictures while they got that credit. she wasn't the only one tho. . saw lots of TPR folks on it when I took pics of the ride before hers . this was about my speed for a ride at the moment. . . LOL actually saw someone puking after this. . so I guess that means good cycle? these bears were in front of the Cyclone - a Galaxi coaster. not sure why, but sure, I'll pose with bears! a mini Waltzer! it was so cute! this guy was running an insane cycle, with loud music and lots of smoke, so we headed over to it next. whee! I watched this Top Scan, and saw that TPR was gonna ride it and decided those restraints with my hurting rib was NOT a good idea. so I passed, and glad I did, as they gave the TPR folks a very long (something like 15 minute) nutso cycle. I still think Robb paid them off to run it like that for TPR another one more my speed at the moment - inside one of the arcades. not gonna lie, I was tempted! but passed up a chance to have a Princess Party. . . we happened upon the big Waltzer right as a bunch of TPR folks were also gonna ride. so we hopped on sharing a car with Andy. . and got an absolutely bonkers ride, with the ride ops coming up behind the cars - while the ride was in motion!!! - and pushing the cars into more intense spins. it was so amazingly great. see? hanging on and laughing the whole way. back to the Cyclone for Stacy's ride (sorry.. pics got out of order somehow) I, again, passed. This one isn't a kiddie, but I just wasn't in the mood to ride it. Ride Nelly the Elephant! and John Wayne's Horse! (made out of plastic) kiddie rides scattered all over the place here. . most of them quite odd. back to the carousel. . you not only could ride with the Queen, but you could also ride with Mr. Bean! and this guy. . who NO ONE knew who he was! not even the Carousel operator. I asked several people and no one had any idea who this guy was! he must be someone, as he's in good company (the Queen and Mr. Bean) two Queens after using up our tokens, and checking time, we decided to do some shopping and go eat something. I had snapped a pic of this as we passed from the bus, but now could get up close with the horse. and a very odd "Lady and the Tramp" kiddie ride in one of the stores. good idea.. I hadn't yet really had Fish and Chips in the UK. . and on the shore seemed to be a good place to try. it was so good, y'all. tho I found the smashed peas a bit. . . unpleasant and bland. but here's the place we went. the Fish was really great, so no wonder it's "famous" while eating, Stacy allowed me to use her shoulder to model the souvenir shirts I had gotten. turns out the show "Gavin and Stacey" was set here. . and we found a store selling merch. so of course I grabbed some (love that show) a quick stroll down the beach on the way back to the bus showed that as the clouds had cleared out, the beach had gotten a bit more crowded. it was still way too chilly for me to even consider going into the water, but here in Wales, I guess they are used to it? and then back onto the bus, and we continued on towards Drayton Manor. we were staying in a hotel nearby, and that was to be our full day park tomorrow. lovely. once checked in, we had a few hours before having to go to bed, so some headed off to check out the nearby castle ruins. Some went into town to check out the night life. and some of us went to the restaurant at the hotel to grab a snack. awww.. the moo-moo has a "tasty bottom" I wasn't all that hungry, as still was full from the Fish & Chips. . so I went with lemonade and a desert. I'd also yet to have "Sticky toffee pudding" since being in the UK, and thought I should try it. there were lots of ways to order it, but I asked for the most traditional. it wasn't bad. . although my stomach did not quite agree with it, and I ended up with a rough night of sleep. (but that also could be due to the pain meds I was taking by this point for my ribs). before going back into the room, wandered out into the parking lot to snap a pic of the castle ruins nearby: poison ivy? I dunno. . but the thorns (and gnats in the area) kept me from wandering over to check it out in person, so instead I went back to the room for a nice long, hot shower. tomorrow? Drayton Manor.

Nice!!

So......we just returned from an Orlando trip. Had a date specific ticket to Epic on 10/1 and then went on our 1 day included with the package on 10/3 with plane tickets home on Sunday. As Friday morning dawned we had just accepted that we weren't going to make it on Stardust this time and had resolved to just enjoy everything else about the park; and it is a magnificent park. I mean they nailed the theming, lighting, soundtrack of each land. Never before was my son content to just walk around and appreciate the aesthetics in a park before like this one. THEN, as we are eating dinner on Friday (some of the best theme park food I have ever had btw) we hear the reopening news. Go look, sure enough trains in the station for the first time. What to do? Well we spend another $350 for two more tickets, concierge told us it was already sold out but we were able to purchase on line, blew off already paid for Howl O Scream tickets at SW, blew off a Vivo reservation (only significant because it was the only sit down restaurant at Citywalk I hadn't been to) AND went back on Sat 10/4, our last full day in town. Expensive ridiculous gamble? Yes. Was it worth it? Yes. Something wrong with us? Probably. So from the get go some upper management types were at the ride entrance telling everyone late afternoon to early evening would be when they opened, IF the weather cooperated. We spent until about 4 casually doing other things while keeping our eye on the proceedings. Around 1 or 2 there were maintenance personnel riding, after that other park employees were getting a turn, then the ride crew got their turn. About 4 we grabbed something to eat at the pub and started hanging out near the entrance. Rain coming off and on just to torture us and make it not a 100% thing. More bigwigs show up at the entrance in a vain attempt to keep people from hanging around. News copter overhead most of the time starting about 5. Finally just after 6 they very quietly and calmly opened the barricade and an unbelievably obedient crowd surged at a walking pace in and was walked backed to an extended queue. I think everyone knew how badly the park needed this to go well and no one wanted to risk getting kicked out...................JUST as we approached the actual entrance the fire alarm in the station starts going off. Yep it was accidentally set off and all of the ride crew, easily 20 or more employees had to evacuate. Now we are all being held: ride crew at attraction entrance, the initial 100 or so riders in the temp queue, everyone else where the barricades at the plaza entrance. Swell . About 15 minutes for maintenance to take care of the alarm. We ended up being on the 2nd train out. Got back in line and used our one time express for the other side. Two front row rides on each track. Then waited a good 2 hours for a third ride as by that time the entire park was aware. So three rides, one with an abnormally long line that doesn't usually happen due to capacity. The park did not close the line one second early and actually added a 3rd train on each side to increase capacity. The atmosphere was as raucous as any ert session I've ever experienced. You could tell the ride ops needed this and the crowd gave it to them. Lots of cheering, clapping, and high fiving. The ride itself? What a magnificent beast of a coaster. An instant top 3 and maybe higher once we have time to digest it. The interaction of the trains is amazing. The only thing I can conjecture as to how someone could get blunt force trauma is getting slammed backward into the headrest if you were flopped forward when unconscious, the torque of the two double boosts is unbelievable. I of course have no idea if that is what happened but after riding it I can not think of what else it could be. Not possible to hit the lap restraint or anything in front of you unless you were maybe 8 feet tall. Of course we don't know what we don't know but I can't figure this as anything other than a freak accident for someone not completely able bodied. What an experience the whole thing turned out to be though! Any questions that I didn't answer ( I was trying not to write a novel here) ask away.

To touch on this, it is now official: Peanuts licensing contract extended. Surprising absolutely no one, except the click-baity YouTubers who threw everyone into a panic over the contract "being allowed to expire because SFEC is going bankrupt!!!!!11!!!" https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250910481132/en/Six-Flags-Entertainment-and-Peanuts-Worldwide-Extend-Licensing-Agreement-to-2030

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!

Did the Moose out front tell you?

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…

He has expressed disdain for enthusiasts and this hobby repeatedly and yet he spends a lot of time on here communicating with said enthusiasts; a classic bully. Don't waste the time, he isn't worth it. Instead lets celebrate you! Congrats on doing what makes you happy and achieving a goal, doesn't matter a wink what others think. As a parent and teacher I want to congratulate you personally for advocating for yourself! I know from first hand experience that is often a difficult thing for someone on the spectrum to do. So, live the life that makes you happy, be kind, be accepting, and focus on the things and people that make you feel happy and fulfilled. Good luck!!

I'm sorry that another member of the community is treating you this way. For one, I appreciate your enthusiasm for the hobby, so please keep posting your updates.

Holiday in the Park canned AND 2026 coaster will not be happening for at least one more year. Thank you Cedar Fair for officially destroying everything good about this park.

A few weeks ago I had a chance to visit Universal Studios Florida and it gave me a chance to see a bit of the construction progress on the successor to Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit as well as checking out the park's offerings celebrating the 50th anniversary of Jaws. Construction on the new coaster is happening all around Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, despite that coaster still being in operation. Over in the San Francisco section of the park, a mini version of Amity had sprung up in honor of the 50th anniversary of Jaws. It was nice to see this iconic sign back up in the park. Featuring food booths inspired by the food locations that used to be found in the former Amity section of the park. Chez Alcatraz continues to serve up Jaws-inspired alcoholic beverages. There's a neat Amity Boat Tours photo ops featuring imagery from the former Jaws ride and at times, former Jaws skippers come out to perform the ride's spiels live for guests. The San Francisco Candy Company has received a temporary overlay to match the outside Jaws theme. Some former props from the film and former ride queue can be found in this display case. Eagle-eyed fans will notice this lanyard which was given out to riders on the final night of operation for Jaws at Universal Studios Florida. Theme Park Review was there on the final day of operation, filming two different POVs before the ride's closure. Props inspired by the former park land can be found throughout the shop. I love this poster! Fans of the ride will surely recommend these boathouse doors. There is even a neat 3-D map of the ride's layout and show scenes. The candy shop even has a few Jaws-inspired treats. Just totally normal theming... Totally normal. Amity Fried Chicken certainly brings back memories... Time to take the plunge... Geronimo. This trip report being posted two weeks later confirmed one thing... I lived. This was actually quite good. Another Amity throwback. But I passed on this menu. Shifting from one extinct attraction to a soon-to-be one... This view will be very different soon. I wonder if the firehouse will be restored once Rockit is removed. Artsy. A new resident from The Secret Life of Pets can now be found in the New York section of the park. Not long for this world. Going down... The non-inverting loop does have a neat silhouette. This fly-by turn has always been one of the coaster's better elements. Oh those ringy-ding-ding-a-lings. Only a few more weeks to Rockit. Outside the park, the path between Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure has become a city of walls while preparation is under way for the new coaster. On my way out I noticed that the Hemisphere Dancer, the famous plane once belonging to Jimmy Buffett had been restored and placed back at its home at the Lone Palm Airport bar. Apparently this was the bar's grand reopening. A little bit of backstory to close out this report...

Day 1: Waldameer Basically more of a pit stop than anything, but it was my first time here. Arrived shortly before 5 and was pleased to see they offered an after 5pm wristband for $29 (I was prepared to buy $40-50 in tickets) so my day was already off to a good start. Started off with a front row ride on Ravine Flyer II as it was only running 1 train, but ops were decently quick with loading. Front row was pretty good, a few pops of air but nothing to really write home about. But I would return later... Stopped by Pirates Cove which was a walk on and certainly an interesting walk through fun house. Lots of cool gas and a couple dizzying crooked sections. You don't find these too often anymore so it was really awesome checking this out. Intended on riding the Flume next but it was down and drained with maintenance milling about in various areas. So I continued back to get by Steel Dragon credit. Pretty much a walk on, not the greatest spinner but a couple briefly intense sections. Didn't spin a whole lot. Right next door was the awesome Larson drop tower XScream. I would be perfectly happy lapping one of these for hours on end. I was on limited time, or I would've done the same here. I love these things. Wish there were more of them. Noted the Flume was starting to fill back up with water, I quickly detoured over to Comet to get my final credit of the day (with only two hours I wasn't wasting my time with the kiddie coaster and the Visa). This was running 2 trains and was a really fun, perfectly smooth family woodie. Even had a couple quick moments of floater. Too bad these junior woodies are as rare as they are, they almost all run good. Headed back over towards the empty Log Flume which was cycling empty logs. As fate would have it, maintenance shouted down to the greeter to open the ride right when I walked up and I would be the first one in. This is a really awesome Flume. Neat tunnel section at the beginning and two good drops. Nice splash but not totally soaking. Two thumbs up for this flume, which is very popular as the line filled right up behind me so I'm glad I got to it when I did. Unlike Great Adventure, Waldameer knows how to quickly get a Fluke fixed and back running! Was 6:15 by this point and I rode everything I wanted except Whacky Shack which had a long slow line, so I headed back to Ravine Flyer for a 20 minute wait and back row ride. This is absolutely a back row coaster, the first drop is insane back there and the intensity throughout is turned up to 10. While the front felt kind of controlled and graceful, the back felt like a rampage through most of the ride. I thought this coaster felt similar to Excalibur at Funtown, maybe slightly more intense. Hope to get back to it someday. Walking back through the park I noticed the line for Whacky Shack was a lot shorter so I hopped on. Another very fun dark ride. Really enjoyed this just as much as its neighbor. Finished up with one more quick ride on XScream. Had to hit the road to Michigan and was sad to have to leave the park so quick. This is a great little park with a world class woodie, a couple fun support coasters, a great flume, 2 fun dark rides, a Larson Tower, and what looked like a very good package of flats. Not to mention it has a lot of charm and is very family friendly. Felt like a better Canobie. Off to Michigan's Adventure tomorrow and FINALLY riding Shivering Timbers for the first time. Can't wait!

got way far behind, with so much stuff going on since my last update here (SFOT Coasterthon, Holiday World Holliwood Nights, SFFT Roller Coaster Rodeo). . but gonna do my best to catch up on several reports over the next week or so! Day 12 (pt 1) 1/2 day stop at our final (and surprise) park, Gulliver's Land: Owned by the same company that owns Gulliver's World - that we stopped into earlier on the trip - this was the 2nd (of the 4 I believe) "Gulliver's Park" in the UK. this one was bigger and had larger rides than Gulliver's World had, and seemed a bit more geared towards older kids/teens - with some bigger and more thrilling rides. And as we were here on a Weekend day, there were way more families visiting as well, so we weren't the odd adults in a park full of small children and it was way less weird it was a bit overcast off and on, but never really got anything more than a slight drizzle. added bonus is that we got to say hi to Caroline, who is local and swung by the park to meet up with us. you can tell from outside the park, that it's a little more adult ride wise than Gulliver's World had been. TPR is ready to enjoy Gulliver's Land! the main street USA version for this park. the Castle at the end housed a restaurant in the bottom, and a playground area on the top. Dragon Siege was small, but intense. loved the theming. and yes, it went upside-down for full rotations this is behind the castle, and is the large Gulliver's Travels ride (it would open up in a short bit), and the upper level, over the bridge from the top of the castle, was a HUGE fairy tale walk thru area, called "Once Upon A Time" - that really had to be experienced, as describing it sells it short. (pics of that in part 2) a small jungle raft ride was also well themed thruout the park there were these push button kiosks that had animatronics inside them. not all worked, but all of them were entertaining. the Orangutan Band was near the jungle river ride. so was the animatronic snake. 3 family coasters at this park. 1st up was the racing coaster, called Grand Prix Racers, and I think it was an exact clone of the one at Gulliver's World tons of rides scattered thruout the park, including smaller rides for the little ones. Like this little race track. and a Pony Express (that adults weren't allowed to ride. . . sad face) not a bad log flume for a park this size. . and TONS of photo ops all over the place. there was a shooting dark ride, the Silver Mine, that was fairly popular. . tho I seem to recall a lot of the targets didn't do a whole lot. but most of us rode it. an overview of the park, via a park map. it's a fairy good size the interactive Fort area, with lots of things to climb on and swing on. the park's 2nd coaster is called "Runaway Train" and is a Zamperla family coaster. as the Bear out front told me, it was located in "Western World" over here was also a smaller train ride. I had to wait a cycle (and then was the only rider), but was told it was ok for adults to ride, so I took a spin on it. I rode in the Caboose, and the operator was kind enough to snap a picture for me. I rode the flume too, and it did get me fairly moist by now the Gulliver's Travels ride was open, so headed back over that way. it has the same ride system as the Princess ride at Gulliver's World, so I was prepared to love it. (and had been told there's an amazing scene inside) yup. . a full sized Gulliver, being tied down by little men. . LOL also lots of princesses. . or fairies. . I dunno. not many of my onride pics came out usable. but of course I LOVED it, and rode it a few times. as did Stacy & Nick and Robb & Elissa and Jack & Jackie anyone who knows me, knows I love photo ops . . especially with park mascots. so I was in heaven when so many of the Gulliver's mascots were out and about today. I still have NO idea what the one on my left is. . (the one on the right is a bunny, I think). . but the one on the left? an anthropomorphic squash? and Gulliver's Girlfriend!! the third coaster in the park, is an indoor roller skater called the Crazy Mouse. it was a coaster, and it was indoors. and it had some big props.. . . these pics are from the loading station, but the park does its best to keep the riders in the dark, as there's no description or view of the coaster from the queue line, and in fact the keep the doors to inside closed, and only open them up to load the next riders onto the platform. this pic is from the platform, before I put my phone away see? big props. some pics of the playground area on top of the castle (before heading across the bridge to the walkthru). it looked like they were doing some construction up here, so the area was roped off. we still had some time at the park, so some of us headed over to the jungle rapids ride. a "snug" fit, but fun. to be continued. . .

I didn't get an ask NOT to say anything, so I will share. I spoke with Jeffrey Siebert multiple times during Roller Coaster Rodeo this weekend, and at one point I was teasing him how I hope the new coaster at SFOT is named "El Toro" , as it's in the Spain section of the park. Name it that just to watch enthusiasts heads' explode. he laughed and told me that in all seriousness, they *were* planning on using a name from elsewhere, but he insisted (and won that battle) for a unique name. --> so the new dive coaster will have a unique name in the chain. (similar to the way they went with Chubacabra for the Goliath rename at SFFT). I followed up asking if it's themed to bull fighting as it's in the Spain area, and they aren't planning on changing that. and the response was "you'll just have to wait and see" but yeah.. unique name for this new coaster.

I can tell from those track pieces that the coaster is forceless and shaky.

Breaking news: Cedar Point is the devil.

After an amazing two and a half days at Europa Park, we made the road trip via bus towards Phantasialand (our final stop of the trip). Conveniently enough, Holiday Park is close enough along the path that Robb & Elissa arranged a half day itinerary that gave us a chance to experience all of the park's main attractions and to get a taste of their Halloween Fright Nights event. It is probably worth noting that in the time since our visit, Holiday Park has begun the process to be officially renamed as Plopsaland Deutschland. Quite a view to walk into... Their entry plaza is quite nice for a relatively humble-sized park like this. Faux-stained glass. I genuinely appreciate how the park has built out a decently-sized indoor attraction space. Holiday Park is part of the Plopsa family of parks, and as such, they took their use of the House of Anubis IP rights and applied the franchise to their drop tower. We were hooked up with some Express Passes for the day... You could use this punch card up to nine times for any combination of attractions. Fortunately enough the lines for most of the other attractions besides Sky Scream and Expedition GeForce were short, which allowed us to use the express passes for those. And they certainly came in handy. Through the trees! Over the trees! Sky Scream is only the third Premier Rides Sky Rocket II but it was one probably the best one I've been on. Going down! A look at the full look at the coaster's layout. I'll never complain about a park keeping parts of their former coasters as theming. Super Wirbel lives on here. Wickieland is the park's viking-themed area and matches the cartoony styles of the other Plopsa parks. I love how much Expedition GeForce towers over and wraps Wickieland. Wickie Splash is a really fun log flume with some interesting tricks up its sleeve. The Big Wave is a large Zamperla Disk'O with a nicely themed base. I enjoyed seeing Expedition GeForce fly by as I waited for my ride on The Big Wave to begin. It was quite a good time! Without a doubt the best thing in the entire park. Magical things happen in this section of Wickie Splash. Die Schlumpfe. But in all seriousness, the park's Burg Falkenstein dark ride closed a few years earlier as it has been updated to be new Smurfs-themed attraction. I couldn't complain about this hearty Jägerschnitzel lunch at Restaurant Pfalzgraf. It was a little too cold for my liking to ride Dino Splash, but I greatly appreciated the theme. Quite photogenic. Anubis was quite a fun ride. Time to explore the Heidi-themed Holiday indoor section of the park. It's essentially a studio/warehouse building with play areas, a few small rides and a small food & beverage counter. But the variety inside is nice and the vibe is quite whimsical. Some pretty neat theming found within, though I'm not familiar with the IP myself. A unique little carousel inside... And they even fit a kiddie coaster in here (with a decently sized section hidden behind the rock wall. Back outside for more staring at Expedition GeForce. Can't stop. Won't stop. If you've been a part of TPR as long as I have, you're already familiar with this sign. Silhouettes in the sun. Over the Pipi Station! Through the curve! "It's like Coca-Cola but frozen!" Seriously incredible design. If you're a fan of grilled sausage, well then have I got the park for you! The park has a very cute Maya the Bee-themed kiddie area that is kind of off of the beaten path from the rest of the park. But we didn't have a lot of time to explore because we needed to get back to the front of the park for something else... While we had to be on the road within a few hours of the event start, the park treated us to a VIP tour with priority access to four of the event houses... I appreciate the fact that the park actually ranks the fear factor of each house and scare zone for guests to choose what they're able to handle and what to avoid. \ A look at how much of the park is involved in the Halloween Fright Nights event. If there is one thing that Halloween Fright Nights has going for it, it is the fact that the scare actors are super in character and super vulgar in the process! All kinds of sass was experienced before we even entered the house! I've never experienced a house that took your photo within and gave it to you. Sadly the camera was out of focus but still a neat souvenir and concept. Mad Rat was the next house we experienced. Actors were unafraid to curse, use suggestive language and more. Words to live by: "Make Love, Not Rats." Absolutely insane (in a good way) to me was the fact that the park's Schnitzel Haus restaurant actually becomes a haunted house for the event, where you actually walk through (and briefly sit in) the dining room, the kitchen, and even the restroom... It was wild. The final house of our tour was the most anticipated and most bizarre. Titty Twister is an adults-only house themed around a haunted strip club. And that description is the tamest way to explain it. Unlike any other haunted house I've ever been in and entirely over the top in the most memorable of ways. We had a great time at Holiday park for sure! As the sun set it was time to head back to the bus for our final destination of the trip...

Day 11 - a 2nd full day at Blackpool Pleasure Beach! it had stayed windy thru the night, and I heard the wind blowing against the window (helped me sleep) but a large metallic clang woke me up. Peeking out the window? The Big One was testing! Grabbed my phone to snap some pics of proof, and excitedly got dressed and headed down to grab something light to eat, as testing was a great sign we'd get our ERT on this coaster today. LOVE this view. . . we met up in the lobby and headed into the park, and were informed that they were indeed testing, and hoped to have it open for us. but no guarantees. TPR group hung out with our Park Guides by the gates, while they kept running trains - to ensure it wasn't too windy for it to operate. and then they opened it up for us and ushered us into the station. it was such a last minute decision, that the 2nd train still had all the sandbags in it for the morning test runs. very cool to see that this is how they test it out on mornings they are concerned it might valley due to weather. all maintenance hands were called on deck to remove the sandbags, and we were ready for our ERT. these pics, I believe, are courtesy of Elissa. what did I think of "the Big One" ? well. . it's an Arrow Hypercoaster (that opened in 1994) - and as such, it's got a couple of janky / not so smooth transitions. In particular, there is one transition right in front of the Big Blue Hotel that will *really* mess up your back if you aren't braced for it. . . .but my oh my, does that first drop make up for it. a Diving steep turn to the right, and it truly does feel like the coaster has come off the track and you are hurtling towards the beachfront. so yeah, I rode it a bunch during ERT, even with that one painful spot that reminded us it's an Arrow coaster. after our ERT, we were set free in the park as it was about to open. Directly across from the Big One entrance is the park's classic carousel. it wasn't open just yet, so I made a note to come back to it later. but since we were right across the park path from SteepleChase, Jonathan and I headed over there to get a few rides. as I mentioned yesterday, the ride staffers remembered us from the prior day (and what big fans we were of the ride) and let us stay on to bypass the line a few times. they even took this wonderful picture of us - look how damn happy Jonathan and I are ! (and no, the third track wasn't operating today, and they told me it rarely does.. so I felt even more blessed that had gotten the opportunity to ride all three rails the prior day). much love and thanks to Robb, Elissa, and Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort for that lifetime top 10 memory. Jonathan and I decided to hang together for a bit, and headed towards the dark rides portion of the park - since they tend to be all gathered together in one area. passing thru Nickelodeon land, the same "handler" who had been out yesterday with the Avatar character (and had taken a pic of himself instead of just me and the character) was out.. so I called him on it - in a playful way - and embarrassed the heck out of him in front of his coworkers (who laughed hysterically). all was good. . he even posed with me for this selfie when I handed him to phone - to prove I really was just teasing him. and he took this great pic of Jonathan and I with Spongebob. I do remember that Wallace and Gromit were out too, but for them, there was an additional fee, so we didn't do that. . .but I'm guessing this is the car (shoe?) from the ride, as we did ride the dark ride that morning. before heading back to Alice in Wonderland for more rides on that today. here's that sign in the queue that talks about when the ride opened at the park. from the Alice line, you get a nice view of the Flying Machines, and the final stretch of Grand National's track as it races back into the station. that's the front gates of the park on the left, under the Noah's Arc on top. we got lucky on our 1st ride with Jonathan scoring the back seat with the White Rabbit. whee! Valhalla wasn't quite open yet for the day *was open from 1-5 only), but in the TPR chat thread, there was talk about meeting up later to ride as a group. so instead we headed over to the Flying Machines, a classic ride near the front of the park. some lovely views from the load stations up here too. the Big One's lift hill from across the park. and the turnaround near the front of the park. hey. . there's Nick! a few other TPR folks had come upstairs while we waited for our cycle. so we climbed into one rocket together. under the Flying Machines sits a restaurant and a gift shop. and in a very neat touch, there are windows that allow one to look into the workings of the ride - that's been operating since 1904 ! I was headed back to Derby Racer for more rides (I love these things), and so the guys came with to ride. and tho I was wary about how rough this might be, the only coaster I was missing was Grand National. we had ERT on it later that night, but I wanted to try it early so I could see how much "wooden coaster trembling" was on this classic coaster (built in 1935). Great view of the lift hill from the station area. short answer? it's pretty rough. not terrible, especially for it's age, but rough enough that I was concerned about multiple rides with my rib injury from earlier in the trip at Barrie Island. needless to say, I never rode the right side (from station entry), only riding the Red Train from the left side. so 1 and done for me (or is that 1/2 and done, since it's a racing coaster and only did one side)? splitting off to do things that only I was interested in, this caught my eye across from the Grand National exit. I wasn't sure what exactly it was, but it turned out to be a Museum of Illusion. and was really rather fun. and next door was a play area fountain for the kids (tho it was a bit chilly still) and a bunch of food kiosks. So I decided to grab a quick bite. of note, and the reason I took this pic, those string lights behind the Picture Center? I was told that is where the classic (and crazy) wooden Wild Mouse had been located. It had been removed before the 2018 season, and the space was now being used as bar seating, and special event venue. reminders that we're right off the beach: folks were chatting about riding Valhalla, so I finished up lunch and headed over there to meet up. a happy (and dry) group of TPR folks ready to take on Valhalla! (pic courtesy of Jonathan) that same boat, not quite so dry, coming back into the station after our ride. . .LOL I think this might be courtesy of Brad? I needed to dry off a bit - Valhalla will *absolutely* soak you. like getting dipped into a bathtub soak. - so I headed over to Racing Derby to spin dry (hey, it helped) the River Caves ride was down, and was told it was getting refurbished (this was recently announced as getting a major overhaul, so perhaps tearing out the classic "tunnel of love" theming?). looks like an indoor raft/log flume ride but a reason to go back as this was one of a few rides down on the days we were there - tho this was likely the "biggest" of the rides that were down, as most were for kids that weren't operating. it did seem to have a bit of a splashdown to end the ride ... despite the wind, the park kept the Big One open the whole day. going towards the Asian Mandala walking garden I had spotted yesterday underneath Nickelodeon Streak, I discovered near the bumper cars (also not running today), a small section of celebrity handprints hey.. I even recognized one of em the Asian walking maze was lovely. tho small, it was still nice to discover something like that tucked away in a corner of the park. and best part? since I was over here, I remembered that I needed to ride the classic Carousel. I had missed it yesterday since it closed before the rest of the park. there was only one other rider, but the operator wished me a "wild ride" and I had a blast. I rode "Miles" there's also a nice viewing are over here, where you can watch the Steeple Chase horses go up the mid course lift hill. and the "handprint" of the horse made me giggle. gift shop near the front of the park (where I bought my "I rode the Big One" boxer shorts) in the front of the park, just past the entry gates but before you enter the park proper, is Pasaje del Terror. there had been some "characters" wandering around near the front of the park handing out coupons. and upon checking with a few employees, they all said it was decent and worth checking out. I messaged in the group chat that I wanted to do this, since I had these 1lb off coupons (I had asked for a handful and was given them) and multiple TPR folks said they were interested and so I sat down by the main entrance to wait and see who would show up. it turned out to be about 15 of us, and they split us into two groups to go thru. here's Stacy and I with one of the folks that had been handing out the coupons. the entrance to it looked very promising! and this lady - who gave us the rules spiel was hysterical. and creepy as hell. no pictures were allowed in the actual attraction. but I can say it's highly recommended. the entire thing is underground, so it's way bigger than you think it's going to be. And filled with movie level quality set pieces and special effects. I think this might be the best looking haunt that I've ever been to. It didn't "terrify" me, but I was blown away at how good all the set pieces were. tons of detail, and some brilliantly made up scare actors. oh. . and it ends in a bar. yup. pics were allowed in here: I don't recall if there was actually a drink minimum. . . but we did drink while hanging out and waiting for the other group to come thru behind us. the snack area wasn't' open (the blue grate). . but the figures here show the level of quality of this place. our group. . relaxing while waiting for the others. ah. .here they are! turns out one CAN visit the "Horror Bar" without going thru the attraction (just enter thru the exit steps), but I'm still glad I did it. very recommended, even with the separate charge. did I mention there are tons of photo ops here at Blackpool Pleasure Beach? why in the world would I come to the UK and want the "sweet taste of the USA" ? but I was curious what they thought it would be. . lots of tootsie rolls and gummy candies. the Park's Grand Prix motor car ride, had closed a month or so before our visit. . so they still had much of the station still untouched and looking like it could operate with just a quick sweep (I took the pics over the fence they had up in front). it's a really large ride, and with this gone, as well as the three smaller rides they announced are going, the park has a lot of space to put in something rather large for 2026 - as they have announced. I was still hanging with Stacy after the Haunt, and she was interested in getting a reading from this "Spiritual Advisor to the Stars" that had a storefront set up in the park, near the closed Grand Prix. I wasn't interested, but was happy to wait (and I did briefly meet the spiritualist, and she was a lovely woman). and hey, she read for Johnny Marr! the inside of her storefront was very cute. . .and very "traveling carnival"... I mean that in a GOOD way. she took Stacy back thru those double doors, and I waited for her out in this area. she was very satisfied with the reading. it was time to meet up for our Grand National ERT. . so we quickly made our way thru the now closed park, over to the Grand National station. I grabbed this pic of the Wallace and Gromit ride, as we passed by, since I had forgotten to take one earlier. as noted earlier, I was worried about my rib injury, so I chose not to ride during ERT - instead just taking pictures. Green won! and Barry looks very pumped about it. racing back into the station. this is what I rode for the rest of the ERT. . I did love the "devil tail / snake" designs on the benches. just hanging out (and it had gotten cooler, so put my hat on), as we were headed as a group into the fancy Blackpool restaurant for dinner to end our day. you can tell that this is a fancy place. . it was quiet (I guess we were visiting sorta off season?) as we were really the majority of whom were in the restaurant, tho there were other customers there. (I'm guessing that's why I didn't take any pics of the food or the restaurant itself). I do remember the food being pretty good tho. decoration in the cloak room after dinner we headed outside and Robb gathered us all for a group picture under one of the (closed gates) to Pleasure Beach entrance. pic courtesy of Robb then we realized that the face was hungrily eyeing us. . so we took another pic reacting as such: and with that, our days at Blackpool were over. again, I'm pretty sure I swung by the casino for some slots before heading back to the room. tomorrow was a travel day back towards London, the trip was almost over . . . . so had to pack things up and be ready to head out in the morning. but as the sun set, I knew that it had been so worth it to come. . . met every dream I'd ever had about it. and with that? off to bed.

I never thought I'd have a chance to go to Malaysia but when life throws you an opportunity that is so unexpected, you lean into it and live in the moment. I knew virtually nothing about Kuala Lumpur before I found out I would be traveling there, but once I dug in, I found a variety of unique and personally appealing experiences... I even had the chance to visit two theme parks that I was always interested in, but had long resigned myself to the notion of never being able to see firsthand. The Kuala Lumpur International Airport was large and airy, which was welcoming after being in transit for a full day. In transit to my hotel I found a nice looking water park that I unfortunately wouldn't have time to visit on this trip. This looks familiar, rail style and all. First stop, Din Tai Fung! It was my first time eating at a location in person and it was well worth the hype! Fortunately enough, this one was in a shopping mall connected to my hotel so I'd end up visiting multiple times during this trip. Sadly, the Nando's in the same mall had closed for refurbishment just days before my arrival... But hope on that front was not all lost. Don Don Donki looked and felt familiar... It was only once I was back home in the States that I realized that it was a part of the Don Quixote company in Japan. We rode the Don Quixote ferris wheel at their store location in Dotonbori, Osaka back in 2019 so it was neat to find an outlet from the company here. They also have an infectious theme song playing on loop in the store... So excited to be here! I passed out early on my arrival day and it took me several days for the jet lag to wear off. My hotel had an awesome buffet restaurant included in our stay which included a variety of Malaysian and Southeast Asia options (along with some more traditional Western offerings). When in Kuala Lumpur, curry laksa for breakfast was my entree of choice. The restaurant also had an incredible "prawn bisque omelette" that they claimed was their speciality. I'd have several throughout the trip. Some of the freshest fruits I've had anywhere were consumed on this trip. Our hosts brought us to Restoran Siu Siu Sungai Besi, a local chinese restaurant known for indulgent meals, a variety of choices and a lazy Susan turntable for ease of sharing. Some of the best pork belly I've ever consumed. Coca Cola Rasa Asli (Original Taste) was, as expected, both delicious and refreshing. I could have eaten here every meal for the rest of the trip and been in heaven. The next morning on my way to work I found Spider-Man serenading the travelers at KL Sentral station. Dolly Dim Sum nearby offered some different flavors compared to Din Tai Fung, though I'd still choose the latter as my favorite of the two. Entirely coincidental, my interest in all things "tiki" was stoked when I discovered that the hotel I was staying at had an entire bar dedicated to the Jungle Bird drink, which I had no idea was first developed at its predecessor property nearby. Subtle in its vibes, it matched the decor of the hotel... But the drink was pure tiki bliss in a cup. On one of my few days off, I ventured around Kuala Lumpur to see some famous sights, check off a bucket list experience and more, starting with a visit to the famous Batu Caves. The artistry is distinctly unique to this region and feels very different than what I've seen in Japan or China. Most people have seen the rainbow steps of Batu Caves before (I had) but never realized where it was or what it led to... The level of detail on these shrines is incredible. What an incredible setting! Up we climb! Almost there! Batu Caves is home to several shrines built within the cavernous mountains of the area. It astounds me that someone found this place centuries ago and had the vision to leverage it as a place of worship. There's something incredible about the natural architecture that makes this space seem so much more sacred. I made some friends during my visit. Just don't feed them. "Sponsored by Pepsi." And I was having such a good time too... Time to move on to our next adventure... We took a Grab (the Uber/Lyft equivalent in Malaysia) to the Awana Skyway station at Genting Highlands... It's like Sprite... Plus lemon! Why take the cable car you ask? Because not only would we be treated to a picturesque journey into the foggy mountains of Genting Highlands but... It would give us our first look into our next destination, Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park. Just a few months prior to our visit, the park's Central Park-themed area experienced a fire that tore through the facade and impacted at least one restaurant and several backstage facilities. The adjacent Night at the Museum interactive dark ride was not damaged (aside from the facade), but given the extent of the damage to the land, this section of the park has remained closed for reconstruction. I was a little disappointed we wouldn't have a chance to ride this attraction as I do like the franchise, but considering how I never thought I'd have a chance to visit this park at all, it was a loss I was willing to accept. The cable car drops you off directly into the Resorts World Genting complex, a massive combination of casinos, a shopping mall, dining, entertainment, the Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park, Genting SkyWorlds, a Ripley's attraction and much more. In addition to Night at the Museum being down, Rivet Town Roller (a unicoaster) and Independence Day: Defiance (a flying theater attraction) would both be closed during our visit. In our next update, we head into the park!

Our final day in Munich was reserved for "on your own time" to explore the city and spend more time at Oktoberfest. For this reason, we used our day to accomplish both. Revisiting Marienplatz was the first activity of the day... Absolutely beautiful. We even had a chance to see and hear the Rathaus-Glockenspiel play. Reinheitsgebot München Viktualienmarkt was a short walk away and worth a stop for one reason in particular... Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggity dog! Despite having been to Las Vegas, New York and several other cities that have an Eataly location, this was my first time actually visiting one. It's like a theme park for Italian foods. I could have done some serious damage here. This was one of the most indulgent meals I consumed on the entire trip. Back at Oktoberfest for our final evening, we spent some time watching Jack enjoy his favorite ride in all of Germany. As the sun sets, many of the rides begin to come to life in new and colorful ways... Out of the fire and into the frying pan? Hupferl was another "never in America" kind of experience and it was awesome. The size of some of these (traveling) flat rides is astounding. One more visit to the Devil's Wheel. We weren't on a log flume... We weren't on a log flume. We grabbed as many extra rides on Olympia Looping as we could on this evening... Just such an incredible experience! While it wasn't my favorite coaster to ride, Alpina Bahn looks great at night. Our last few hours at Oktoberfest were spent roaming the beer tents, each of which has unique entertainment, decor and more. Each tent felt totally different... The Paulaner tent is one of the bigger tents. And the interior is quite vibrant! I was grateful that I had the chance to visit Hofbräuhaus München at the start of my trip, because I wouldn't end up having a chance to drink at the Hofbrau tent. The Hacker tent may be smaller than some of the neighboring tents... But it has one of the most charming interiors of them all. Braurosl was quite busy on this night... Such a neat space! Spatenbrau was too busy to allow walk-in guests to jump in for a drink. We revisited the Lowenbrau tent to see if the atmosphere changed when compared to our daytime visit in the prior afternoon. The vibe was definitely more lively and party-like at this hour. It looks bigger from the outside. But a rock band on the inside was keeping everyone entertained. This looks familiar! Remember how I said I wasn't above riding both sides? I'm not. And somehow this ended up being the last coaster I rode at Oktoberfest...

I personally wouldn't have any problem with that, although I'm not sure how big a logistical pain in the ass it would be for the park. Price increases are definitely a way to cull the herd a bit and the park can legit say it is due to demand and no one would be able to argue with that. I do agree that privileges have been abused or perhaps in my view very very unappreciated. I have seen entitled behavior amongst some coaster enthusiasts increase (of course I guess you could say the same in general across all walks of life) but not necessarily more people feeling entitled but rather those that veer that way getting louder and more insistent. As we were leaving an event very late one night I was thanking all the employees on the way out for staying so late for us to have fun, which I could tell they appreciated, and another attendee kind of mocked me and said "you know they get paid right?".........ummmm, ok, doesn't mean you can't exhibit some gratitude. Geeez.

Our next day started out with a visit to Legoland Deutschland (with a brief stop at Peppa Pig Park next door). The second Legoland property I’ve been to so far, this was a really charming park! The lineup features some unique coasters (including a bizarre wing-rider that’s not quite for kids but also not a super-thrilling ride compared to some of the larger versions of this coaster type) and lots of fun smaller experiences throughout the park. We had express access to all of the park’s major rides, which cut our wait times down to minutes at a time. Similar to Legoland Florida but different. But first... Somehow I ended up experiencing Peppa Pig Park in Germany before ever getting to its counterpart in Florida. What you see in this photo is the majority of what the park is/includes. There are water play areas... And a few family flat rides... The youngest of kids will find the experience exciting. Papa Wutz´Achterbahn was the real reason we were here. It features a themed zero car, a traditional lift hill and a booster launch (Zamperla is known for big, launched coasters after all). Bis Bald Peppa Pig Park! Now on to the main event! Rope drop included a cute dance number featuring some LEGO characters. Bavarian LEGOmeister is the best! Familiar but different. Really, really picturesque on a level I hadn't expected. It feels like I've been here before. I thought it was kind of interesting that they had one of these kinds of rides in Legoland only to have a similar, albeit smaller experience in Peppa Pig Park. The newest addition to Legoland was our first stop of the visit. The realm features many mythical creatures built out in LEGO form. The station and queue building for Maximus - Der Flug des Wächters is pretty neat. I've been on a few B&M wing-riders before, but never a kid-oriented version. The coaster wraps around the mini-land's many elements. A look at the coaster's trains up close. One of the coaster's two inversions twists directly overhead the land's entrance/exit corridor. TPR takeover! After riding this one, I’m not convinced family/kid-friendly B&M wing-riders need to exist anywhere else. Drachenjagd was a fun junior coaster near the larger, more traditional Feuerdrache (Dragon) coaster. Feuerdrache was a good time. The park's express pass system is handled entirely through your own mobile device and allows you to reserve a priority entrance within a few minutes' time. The system seriously worked great! Power Builders is the original KUKA arm-based attraction and it was quite fun to experience the highest intensity program. Flying Ninjago was the first time I've ridden a Gerstlauer Sky Fly and for whatever reason, I couldn't get the thing to flip... But others around me were spinning the entire ride through. Das Große LEGO Rennen is a carbon copy of the one in Florida. It has its value with a few pops of airtime and some sharp turns. Lunch was a surprisingly great plate of veal spare ribs and a baked potato for good measure. It doesn't matter what the attraction is themed to, this is the quintessential Legoland experience. Temple X-Pedition was short but fun. This section of the park was quite nice with a kinetic energy thanks to several moving attractions within view. I do like that this park has an observation tower. A look at the bulk of the layout of Maximus. Jungle X-Pedition was a fun log flume with a few surprise twists. This looks familiar! A moving LEGO model of Ninjago was one of my favorite elements of this park's Miniland. It's like apple juice but carbonated! Fun to see this guy here, considering he has a near-identical twin at Disney Springs. Love this! Dinner was unsurprisingly another bowl of our favorite truffle oil pasta... By now, I think you know the rule. Hi Robb and Jack! One of the oldest attractions at Oktoberfest. The size of these portable funhouses never ceases to amaze me. There's just something about that Oktoberfest nighttime glow... Back for more... Elissa beat the Toboggan with style! Sarah nailed the lift as well! This is one time where I definitely recommend looking down. This Jumanji-inspired funhouse, complete with a knock-off Robin Williams continued to crack me up throughout our time at Oktoberfest. There aren't many Enterprises left out there, so it was fun to see one here. Voodoo Jumper is one of the best flat rides at Oktoberfest to observe, in addition to riding! Our next day would be our big day at Oktoberfest with time at the Lowenbrau tent, rides and more festival food ahead!

It’s sad the way BGT and SWO have been run in the past few years and how they are currently run. The only thing they care about are the quarterly profit results. Yes they are a business and need to make money but the damage done to the brand and reputation is going to hurt them in the long run. Both parks have so much potential and yet they are operated with little care for the guest experience from the moment you get through the parking toll.