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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.

Today was the last day of our trip. We have seen a lot, rode a lot of coasters, drank a lot of beer and ate a lot of good food. Pretty much what we set out to do. We started the day right with a proper Bavarian weißwurst frühstück (breakfast) at the Schneider brauerei restaurant near Marienpmatz. it is white veal sausage with sweet mustard and a pretzel, washed down with a weizenbier. In this case they had a special festbier version which was really good. As we were finishing up we noticed that it started to get very busy in the restaurant. I mentioned to the waitress that we picked a good time to get there early before it got busy and she told us that octoberfest was shut down for the day because of a bomb threat. They said they would try to have it open at 5:00 pm at the earliest. Oops…The shame is, it was the nicest sunniest day all week to be closed on. We had planned to spend the day walking around town anyway but hoped it would open again as promised. We took a tram tour around and ended up at the lowenbrau keller. It was a beautiful building from the outside but we didn't see the inside because it was full of people who would have otherwise been in the tents at the Wiesen. While taking a break at the hotel we heard it confirmed that the fest was reopening at 5:30pm so we came back for a final visit. We took the u bahn to Poccistraße and came in the south end by the oide wiesen. We caught a nice view of olympia looping from behind with the sun setting. We took some last rides on Alpina bahn, and the double wild mouse. When offered the chance to have a 1/2 meter sausage we couldn’t possibly refuse. Took a ride on the beer carrousel because it looked like fun and it not the kind of thing you see back home. From there we went to the riesenrad where they didn’t offer us a beer. We got some nice nightime views of the park all lit up. Really cool up there. We went back to olympia looping and took 4 final rides. Buying the tickets i was thinking I was maybe being a bit obsessive. As i took my last rides I thought it was exactly the right way to finish this journey. I finished off in my favourite seat in the middle of the train, thinking, damn i love this coaster. Thanks for everyone who followed along and reacted to and commented.

Tuesday it was overcast and cool so we welt to the old Oktoberfest section: they started the display in 2010 for the 200th anniversary of oktoberfest and it was popular so they kept doing it. They had this fun spinny one it had a brass band in the booth later on Would you eat at the badass imbiß? Some nice tractors a nice pipe organ And organ grinders with animatronic monkeys. and who would turn down the chance for a fahrt ins paradise (12 year old boy humour still going) it was really cool, it had this steering wheel that the operator turned to change the speed he also had a saxaphone and would pick it up and play some of the songs . He did moon river for us. surprise: side view you can really see how they crammed all of that track in there. Spoiler alert: big fanboy! as it turned out we were lucky that tuesday was family day and they only charged 9.5 euro rather than 14 for olympia looping helped me get to 11 rides so far. Aiming for 20… most of the other rides had discounts as well so it only made sense to ride the double wild maus. So good. ttoday we took the train to ringsheim via freiburg. It was a bit rainy but we walked around the old town. it turns out we could have taken the regional train down from mannheim rather than up from freiburg but i was happy to visit again. We are staying at the holiday inn ringsheim it is near the train station (more like whistle stop) and they have Rothaus pils, a local black forrest beer i love. i was able to visit the brewery with my friends the week earlier. They name their logo Birgitte which is a play on words for beer getter Was able to do a little hotel sink laundry as we prepare to visit europa park tomorrow.

Electerik Hershey Oddventure September 25 - 29, 2025 Part 1 of 2: Cookies 'n' Cream [*record scratch*] Yep, that’s me. I bet you’re wondering how I got here…. I hadn’t been to an amusement park in over 2 years (see Erik & Smisty & TPR do Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland) and Hershey is probably the most “important” US park that I hadn’t yet been to. So, I picked a late-season weekend and struck out on a solo trip. But, if you know me, you know it was never going to just be about Hersheypark, but about the town of Hershey and all the things in it. Such as Chocolate World. Which is a totally separate thing. Well, a partially separate thing, anyway. I spent 5 full days in Hershey, and Hersheypark was only open for 2-and-a-half of them. But Chocolate World was open all 5. So that’s where we’re starting! So, yes, that first photo was me making my own chocolate bar. Kind of. You don’t really do much. You just select the ingredients and watch machines put it together. In fact, you don’t actually get anywhere near foodstuffs. It’s all behind glass. But they still made me wear the hairnets and apron. I assume so I wouldn’t distract all the other guests with my handsomeness. But they made the other folks wear that stuff too. So, I don’t know. I’m out of ideas. The Great Candy Expedition is an “immersive theater” experience in which your seat vibrates a bit and you mash buttons to vote on which 3 (out of 6) candy lands to visit. It was cute and inoffensive. Though the train you’re supposed to be on is constantly turning into a boat or a hot air balloon or whatever, so I’m not really sure how “immersive” it is. And also, the fact that you visit 3 out of 6 possible destinations means that it should theoretically be pretty reridable. However, it’s expensive for what it is, and since the destinations are determined by popular vote, I sincerely doubt that you’ll ever get to see Almond Joy Junction or whatever, 'cause b!tch we goin’ ta Reese’s Ridge again! Does “Hershey’s largest candy store” mean that it’s the largest candy store in Hershey, Pennsylvania? Or the largest candy store in the world that’s run by Hershey? Or that sells Hershey products? Or…? Asking for a friend who overanalyzes things. Speaking of pricing…I was on vacation, so whatever. But it’s hard not to notice just how all-over-the-place Chocolate World’s pricing is. Maybe it’s genius. I don’t know. But Hershey products (packaged candy bars and such) are very reasonable. (Maybe that makes sense, since all the factories are in town.) Food and beverage is just slightly below theme park normal. Merchandise is at theme park level. And experiences are quite expensive in a way that mostly doesn’t make them seem worthwhile--except for the obviously best one, which is completely free. Shake flight. I am not disappointed. Chocolate World has real cocoa trees in it! I don’t know if they’re actually used for anything. Or even how they’re doing. Hopefully they’re enjoying their lives on display indoors in Pennsylvania. Hershey’s Chocolate Tour is of course the main attraction here, and the ride I was second-most looking forward to on this trip. The queue is quite long, though the line never was. (Apologies to my UK friends for that sentence. Just swap the words ‘queue’ and ‘line’ and it will all make sense.) Lots to read in the queue, as well. Stuff about making chocolate, mostly. But the “extended queue” is all about the history of Chocolate World and the Chocolate Tour itself. So, I liked that. What I liked less was that there weren’t many opportunities to bypass queue sections, which tended to make it awkward when others were trying to read but didn’t seem to want to invite you to pass them, even though the ride itself was a walk-on. Probably not everyone rode this 6 times over 5 days, though. It’s an omnimover. That looks to me like it maybe had half its cars removed at some point? Maybe it’s just not as popular as it once was? Or maybe it never was? But I loved it! “It’s the milk we make that’s at the heart / Sweet inspiration from the very start / And you can taste the love all over the world! / Got that feel good feeling every day / Where they can shovel in the Hershey way / And you can taste the love all over the world!” Wait...shovel? Remember how confused I was about “Hershey’s largest candy store”? Well, according to this ride’s narration, “Hershey is one of the only companies in the world that uses fresh milk in its chocolate.” I have questions. Free chocolate at the end of the free ride. So, theoretically, you come out financially ahead on this deal. And, yes, this employee was kind enough to pose for this photo for me. One last thing on my list for Chocolate World: Ride around town on a trolley. But this trolley is a lie! I lived in Pigeon Forge for a while, and they do the same thing. Paint a bus green and call it a trolley. But nobody out-lies me, Hershey. Have at thee! (This will make more sense soon. Actually, it won’t make any sense, but at least you’ll see why I’m saying this now. Um…maybe.) The trolley takes you around to look at notable sites throughout the town, while a narrator tells you all about how great Milton Hershey was. Which, you know, he kind of was. He created a company town but went way out of his way to make it actually good. He built housing for his workers and sold them those houses at cost so they could own their own homes. By all accounts he paid fair wages, and he built up the town to make it pleasant to live in. (And many of those things you are about to see.) He helped win WWII, and started a school for orphans. But…he was also a segregationist, which is hardcore advanced-level racism. And the school was not only for just for white kids, but only white males. So…yeah. Pretty progressive in regards to poor white men. But that’s about as far as he went. All of which is a heck of a caption for a B&M hypercoaster called Candymonium. Late in life, and not having any children of his own, Milton quietly transferred all of his stakes in Hershey to the trust that runs this school, currently valued at about $15 billion. So the school is doing alright. And it's no longer racist or sexist! (I mean, as far as I know.) “High Point,” the mansion Hershey had built for himself. Tours are available. Some Saturdays. And they sell out weeks or months in advance. So only "available" in the strictest technical sense. Not sure I would've done it anyway. I probably would've. But I'm not too bummed about missing it. I've been in houses before. “Parkview Manor,” the mansion Hershey had built for me. Rather nice of him. A better view of my backyard. Tours are available for a small fee. The trolley then drives right into the Hershey Story Museum and up those stairs to the second floor. (See? I can lie, too.) I also own a top hat. And caramel brass knuckles. Plus, I’m not dead. (As of this writing.) From there, the trolley takes you to Duck Donuts. Where you can get a donut breakfast sandwich and a donut sundae. Still not dead. But trying. It should be noted that Hershey, Pennsylvania, does not actually exist, legally. This is a bit of a semantic argument, of course. It has a zip code. It’s just not incorporated as “Hershey,” and is instead a part of Derry Township. Also, they water the grass with milk. The trolley then sucks you off to another dimension where chocolate does not come from plants. But where plants can nevertheless be used to make a mocking approximation of something almost, but not entirely, unlike chocolate. Back in our home dimension, where chocolate is good, the trolley squeezes through this pedestrian tunnel to cross under the road to ZooAmerica. So named not because it is America’s Grandest Zoo, but rather because it only has American Animals. (/Salutes in Bald Eagle) A lot of ZooAmerica feels old, but in a way that’s almost good? Like, maybe instead of “old” I should’ve said “classic”? It’s small zoo with some quaint old buildings and a wooded setting, but the animals don’t seem cramped or poorly cared for. I kind of got the impression that over the years they repurposed old buildings to hold different, smaller animals? But that might just be my own personal head-canon. The exotic ocelot. (“You hear that? He called you 'exotic'. Which is just people talk for awesome, which is what you are.”) I’m trying to come up with a caption worthy of this photo. Bear with me. Most zoos have some sort of specialty. ZooAmerica’s is skeptical owls. Next we motor through Hershey Gardens and get stuck in this lake. Allegedly, Milton Hershey was asked (by whom is apparently not important) to build a garden in Washington, DC. His response was to build one in Hershey instead. Baller. (Still racist, though.) New “Hot Steam” Kisses! Did you know that chocolate is actually ground-up butterflies? In that other dimension where they have to make the weird fake version out of plants? Everything we eat is gross if you think about it. A view of Hersheypark’s Hershey Triple Tower from Hershey Gardens across Hersheypark Drive in Hershey, Pennsylvania, via the Hershey Trolley Works. A view of Hersheypark and Hersheypark Arena from the Hotel Hershey across Hersheypark Drive in Hershey, Pennsylvania, via the Hershey Trolley Works. This is what the Trolley sees when it looks in the mirror. We end our amazing journey back at Hershey’s Chocolate World, wiser yet acutely aware that ten years have passed in our absence due to time dilation, and while the chocolate tour dark ride is still free, all of our other tickets have expired and we forgot little Joey and he’s in a Christian punk band now and dating a chatbot named TwizzLiar869. Also, Reese’s Oreo is back by popular demand! Directly next to Chocolate World is Chocolate Town. And what exactly is “Chocolate Town”? Well, it’s kind of strange, in that it encapsulates Hersheypark’s entrance plaza, exit gift shop, and first themed area. So some of it is open and accessible even at times when the park is not, sort of hand-in-hand with Chocolate World, while other parts are inside the park gates and off limits when the park is closed. Did that explain it? No? Hersheypark does not serve Hershey’s Ice Cream, because Hershey’s Ice Cream has nothing to do with Hershey’s Chocolate. Both companies started in the same area at around the same and were both founded by unrelated folks named Hershey. As you might imagine, there have been quite a few trademark battles over the years, that have mostly just resulted in bad blood. So, while Hershey’s Ice Cream is very popular in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Hersheypark mostly serves Turkey Hill Ice Cream. Milton’s is inside the park’s main (exit) gift shop, which is open year-round(-ish). Or, at least more often than the park itself is. As you are no doubt aware, by law, all amusement parks’ main gift shops must contain the word “emporium” or the phrase “supply company” in their name, and Hershey is in compliance. Above the Hershey Supply Company is the full-service Chocolatier Restaurant. I was well aware of this place going in and planned to eat there at least once. As it happens, I ate there four times in five days. I like a full-service restaurant at a park. Gives me a chance to sit relatively comfortably and take a little break in the middle of my day. Plus, the food tends to better. It was, admittedly, a bit overpriced for what it was. But I did enjoy everything I ordered and I kept going back, so I guess it wasn’t…? This Ferris wheel of appetizers is clearly meant for more than one person, but I couldn’t resist…especially once I realized that one of the items on it was Cuban (as in sandwich) spring rolls, which paired quite nicely with Twizzlers hot sauce. And yes, I did pimp my server into taking this photo. Which makes it the only photo of the trip not taken by me, and isn’t in any way pathetic. A view of the park. And of Heath bar encrusted salmon with chocolate dusted carrots and embarrassingly non-candy accented potatoes. Note the train on the roller coaster. I’m very proud. Thus endeth part one of this report. Oh, you wanted to actually see inside Hersheypark? Sorry, that's part 2. I am wildly inconsistent with my use of number formatting.

Electerik Hershey Oddventure September 25 - 29, 2025 Part 2 of 2: Special Dark Inside the gates. Is Candymonium the best name for a roller coaster ever? Yes. If you disagree and insist that it is in fact Thunder Dolphin, I can respect that. Any other answer will simply be dismissed as wrong. Unless there’s a really good one I haven’t thought of. Because I like my egomaniacal certainty lightly dusted with crippling self-doubt. Look who I ran into! Totally unplanned. But it’s said that if one lingers around long enough trying to get a good photo of a roller coaster, eventually AJ will appear. Okay, let’s get nerdy: I absolutely loved Candymonium. It reminds me a lot of Mako, which was my favorite B&M hyper, but this one is better. I’m not sure anything on Candymonium is quite as good as Mako’s third hill, but this one’s second hill is close, I like this layout more, and most importantly, while they both have noticeable trim brakes, Candymonium’s are far less ruinous to the second half of the ride than Mako’s are. The Starbucks really makes me feel like I’m at home. (In the sense that I didn’t go in and I don’t go to them here in Seattle either.) So, Candymonium doesn’t have a midcourse block brake. But really it does, it’s just weirdly at the end of the ride, right before this pointless little transitional dip over the midway and into the brake run. Except, the thing is, on paper, while this looks pretty silly, it kind of won me over. I mean, it’s not particularly forceful. But it’s visually-interesting and acts as a sort of false ending to the general public--who react like the ride is legitimately over and then scream when it isn’t quite. It’s kind of fun. Speaking of screaming, I have a fun story. But this caption is already long enough, so I’ll save it for the next photo of Candymonium. Here we have left Chocolate Town and entered the wilds of Hersheypark, where we find this statue of some guy. dooperdooperLooper is sort of the sister coaster to Magic Mountain’s Revolution. The little sister. The less attractive, less talented, less successful one. Which is not to say that it’s bad. It’s not. It just doesn’t do a whole lot, especially when compared to other Schwarzkopfs of this type. Even the visual placement of its loop is “lesser” than that of Revolution. Still fun, though. Glad it’s still around and that I got to ride it a couple of times. Interestingly enough, my first ride was a zen front seat night ride, as it had just come up from a short downtime and the few other guests in the area hadn’t quite caught on yet that it was open again. (Of course, the fact that they closed and reopened the queue by putting up and taking down a simple chain at the front entrance, with no signage and no team members posted, did make it a bit hard to suss out.) Onto the next old school family coaster, Trailblazer. Unlike most Arrow Mine Trains, this one has just one relatively-large lift hill, and then a fairly short layout. But like most Arrow Mine Trains, it manages to be both smooth and janky at the same time. This photo of pathways with some Halloween decor awaiting the darkness might be a good opportunity to share that this park’s layout absolutely befuddled me. A lot of coaster parks (and I would classify Hersheypark in this way) evolve into places with lots of dead ends, but this is more like a series of circuitous pathways that occasionally connect at random intervals. Even by my third day in the park, I often had trouble getting exactly where I wanted to go or finding some particular thing without getting turned around a couple of times. Here, of course, you can see two pathways that cross without connecting. So that’s fun. Storm Runner looked to have an interesting, if rather short, layout. But I didn’t ride it. Why? The trains. I absolutely despise these. I did give the test seat a go, just to double-check/remind myself. And even just briefly and carefully sitting down in said seat, without even touching the restraint, I experience immediate pain in my boy apples. I can’t even imagine how that would feel if I was pinned in, the thing was moving, and there was airtime. Actually, I can, because I’ve been on Maverick. Once. No idea who these seats are designed for, but it’s certainly not big burly men with adult-sized man… um, I need a synonym for balls. Anyone? Thesaurus says “courage,” but that doesn’t quite seem right. Parts of this park are quite pretty. Well, mostly the nature parts. But that’s still something. I didn’t ride their Boomerang either. But I do appreciate that they rethemed it to Jolly Ranchers! It does look like it has the newer vest restraints, but you could still see people jostling around in there as the train bounced its way through the course. Well, this is surprisingly honest. Did they know it was going to be hot this weekend? Also, why is it always hot when I go on park trips? Do I just attract warmth? If you’ve hung out with me at all, I’m sorry. But also, you know I don’t particularly care for RMCs. I was interested in maybe giving Wildcat’s Revenge a try, though. Not entirely sure why. I’d been on 3 (Outlaw Run, Untamed, and Wildfire) and didn’t care for any of them. But I tried the test seat, and found it utterly unchallenging, so I decided to give it a go. The restraints seemed to fit me a bit better on this one (or maybe I’ve changed a bit), so I was actually able to experience, you know, forces. And I kind of liked it? But it also beat me up a bit, especially in the second half. So…while I would say that it’s the most fun I’ve ever had on an RMC, I still found that one ride was enough. Hear me out: Wouldn’t it be more scary if the radiation didn’t have a safety control unit? The park’s indoor Maurer spinner, Laff Trakk, was given a Shaq overlay for Halloween, because apparently there’s also a Shaq-themed Hershey gummy candy? I’ve never had it. Or heard of it. Or been on this ride. Not sure the Shaq stuff really added a whole lot, but the ride was fun (and arguably better themed than Crush’s Coaster in Paris), Probably not worth a long wait, but the park was slammed on Saturday, so I sprung for the Unlimited Fast Track. Lightning Racer is a pair of racing/dueling CGIs. Not top tier or anything, but fun. I’m not sure how I feel about the water park just being in/part of the amusement park. It seemed weird to walk through it closed, but I imagine it would also feel weird to walk through it open. Also, there’s a Wild Mouse coaster called Wild Mouse. I always forget what I bad idea it is to ride a wild mouse by oneself. But I do like Wild Meese, so I’d probably do it anyway even if I remembered. There’s also a dark ride inside the park, Reese’s Cupfusion. The storyline is about misfit candies trying to steal some kind of magical cup from vapid genetically-superior candies and I think I’m supposed to be rooting for the rich, entitled ones? I shot all the bad different candy and maintained the elites’ grip on power! Sta-tus-quo! Sta-tus-quo! As with literally everything, I may be overthinking it. The “trick-or-treat” event seemed…um… Well, this was pretty much it. Also, I’m not a big fan of real-world franchise food & beverage establishments inside theme parks. But they did have a Rita’s, so I was a happy hypocrite. There’s a scenic little side path shortcut that connects Chocolate Town to whatever BS made-up themed area Skyrush is in. (Um…The Hollow? Founder’s Way? Midway America?) Skyrush had some good airtime, but was quite rattly--at least in the outside seats. I would’ve ridden again in a middle seat to see if it was better, if I thought that was in any way achievable as someone in the park by themselves. It wouldn’t have helped with that particular goal, but worth mentioning that Hershey doesn’t have any single rider lines anywhere, as far as I could tell. Okay, time for my Candymonium story! (I’m sure you’re excited.) So I end up riding next to a kid with (I assume) both autism and Tourette’s, and his very patient and loving (again, I assume) mother. Kid’s been shouting odd things in line about how he’s being murdered and whatnot, which is turning a lot of heads, but I figure this’ll be fun. Let’s see how he does on the ride. So, he’s sitting next to me, and he’s carrying on a bit on the lift--which again, I’m finding amusing more than annoying—but he’s locked in during the ride. (Which is probably the point of mom bringing him here, right?) Anyway, train gets back to the station and overshoots. Now, I spent many years working rides, so I’m pretty sure I knew what had happened before the ride ops even did. But immediately my heart sinks, because I know that the restraints are tied to the ride's position in the station. So we’re stuck there for 10 or 15 minutes waiting on maintenance to come move the train back into position and this kid is losing his mind. He’s screaming at the top of his lungs about wanting his phone, why he can’t just get off the ride, how a kid died in the wave pool a couple of weeks ago, you name it. His poor mother is doing her best to distract him, but there’s no hope. And all I can do is wince (he is basically just screaming in my ear) and smile and try not to laugh at the sheer awfulness of it all. The ride manager comes out to talk to him, and he offers to let the kid ride again (because he’s mentioned that). The line was closed by this point, and I probably could’ve weaseled my way back on with them…but I was good at that point. His mother thanked me when we got off. Not sure why. Just for not being an a-hole, I guess. But what can I say? Just like the train overshot the station, sometimes a situation overshoots annoying and lands right in effing hilarious. Plus, let’s be real here. I only had to deal with it for like 15 minutes. For this kid and his mom, it’s basically a lifetime of no choice but to deal with it. Cars in the park as advertisement. Very Six Flags. And a lot of this park is, sadly, despite its charms. On the other hand, this is pretty great. I didn’t ride. Not sure if I could have. But I’ve been on a proper adult one at Kennywood. So no big deal either way. I always ride these things, though. Also, you can’t park your stroller there unless you promise that your child will one day shop at that grocery store. I did go to that grocery store while I was in town. As well as another one called “Karns.” Because I always like to check out the local grocery stores. Is that weird? Maybe the most interesting part of these is that they’re dual tracked “racers,” with classic cars on one side and sports cars on the other. Twizzlers Twisted Gravity was quite good. I think I just like anything named after candy. Note the Kissing Tower in the background, because that’s where we’re going next. The old power plant (still standing for…reasons?), the remnants of the old chocolate factory, the new-ish corporate offices, the Reading Railroad (as in, “take a ride on the Reading”) and the Hersheypark Monorail--which was closed all weekend, much to my unhappiness. I really wanted to ride that. I got the impression they just didn’t want to run it in the fall. The same way they didn’t want to run their water rides, since it was only in the 80’s all weekend. In the queue for the Kissing Tower, there’s a sign that says something like, “Smooching is okay, but no food or drinks, please.” So I get in line, and a woman directly in front of me, who’s by herself, looks at me, looks at the sign, and then exits the line. I’m trying not to take it personally. Fahrenheit. Same trains at Storm Chaser. I just can’t imagine a reality where I would not completely hate a ride on this. Which is unfortunate. But I can’t imagine not being incredibly handsome, either. You don’t always get a choice with these things. That Kissing Tower lady's loss. I assume they didn’t want to run their water rides because half the time the park was going to be open would be at night--and people tend not to ride water rides at night, even if it’s warm. On the other hand, they only ran Trailblazer during the day, and then shut it down at night so a haunted house could use its queue. Really, I’m just bitter because I really wanted to ride their log flume, Coal Cracker. Which this is not. I wouldn’t have ridden this anyway. Honestly, I probably could’ve predicted that the water rides would be closed when I was planning the trip, if I’d thought about it. But I don't have to like it. Lightning Racer’s exit at night. One side is called Thunder, and the other side is called Lightning. Which I just can’t get behind. That’s not the right way to name things. Do I have to explain this? It’s just…wrong. You get it, right? It's not just me? I did check out one of the houses. Auntie Mortem’s Something Something. It was alright. Haunted attractions aren’t really my thing. I do enjoy the theming and seeing how they do throughput, what little tricks they have, and things like that. I don’t scare particularly easy, though--especially not in this kind of setting. So I kind of feel bad when I don’t really react the way they expect me to. I was also there by myself, which is interesting in the “horror night” context, where you’re maybe supposed to experience it more as a group, I reckon. Otherwise, being by myself didn’t really have too many downsides. Oh. A photo so bad that it circled back around again to being good? I was under the impression that Great Bear was on the less forceful side, but I did not find it so. I also thought it rather rough. I liked its setting and the way it interacted with some of the other rides, though. If you’re already in Hersheypark, you can take this bridge over to check out ZooAmerica at no extra charge. But I saw it earlier when Hersheypark wasn’t open to maximize time over cost. Also, it’s closed at night, so you couldn’t do what I just described right now anyway. But here’s the entrance to that bridge, if you just wanted to know what it looks like. sooperdooperLooper, Skyrush, and Comet. Have I talked about Comet? PTC goodness from 1946. Nothing too crazy, but lots of fun. Cool weird T-shaped layout. Obviously more modern trains and braking system than it originally had. But just feels like (and is) a gem. Also a PTC carousel. (With special semi-hidden mirror selfie by me!) I don’t normally like to brag about my ignorance. But all weekend I kept seeing people with 21 Pilots shirts. And I had no idea what that was. At first I assumed it was a band or something. But there were so many. Like, 1 in every 10 guests had one of these shirts. Maybe it was a clothing brand? Or like a joke of some sort? Well, turns out it was a band. And they were playing onsite/next door at Hershey Arena on Saturday night. Anyway, I can’t tell you if they’re any good or not, but their show contributed to this photo. So they can be proud of that, I suppose. What did I think of Hersheypark? Well, I really liked Chocolate World and Chocolate Town. But the rest of the park, while not without bright spots, was less to my taste. But one way I judge a park is by what they have that I like, and what they’re missing. I tend not to judge them poorly for having rides or attractions that I don’t like, because I can just skip those. It’s like a buffet. If I went to an all-vegetable buffet, I’d probably be pretty unhappy with it. But if I went to a pizza and ice cream buffet, I probably wouldn’t be too bothered if they also had some vegetables. I just wouldn’t eat those. Especially if they were first generation Intamin vegetables. Another way I judge parks in on their policies, and Hershey’s were fine and consistent. For example, on the aggressive rides, you could only wear glasses if you had a strap. That’s easy and clear. Signage, announcements, and employees were all on the same page. Every coaster had free lockers and/or someplace to leave your items in the station. That’s all great. I didn’t run into any policies that I thought were especially stupid, punished planning, or seemed unfair or inconsistent. So, on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being Europa-Park and 0 being Uncle Bernie’s, I give Hersheypark a 9. But if you took away Chocolate World and Chocolate Town, it would fall to like a 4. Although, if you did take those away, I’m not sure how you would get in and out of the park. Maybe the trolley? Wait…are we still on the trolley? What year is this? [*screaming from inside the house*]

Today we took the train to stuttgart en route to Tripsdrill tomorrow. When i was planning things out i discovered they were having their Canstäter Wasen festival, a smaller cousin to Oktoberfest and thought it would be neat to go. Without knowing what to expect we were impressed and had a great time. It is smaller and more manageable than Munich but had a nice vibe to it. The local breweries run smaller tents here with horses and wagons with beer barrels. One of the traditions is the fruit tower, though it seemed to have more vegetables than fruit. We found a suspended mouse coaster which was a nice ride. As well as the Mondial air wolf. Canadas Wonderland has a similar model called Soaring Timbers but Airwolf has a much more aggressive program to the point that you can see the tower shake side to side. They had some nice themed food stalls on the midway. And then we turned a corner and saw this: The rock and roller coaster, a Schwarzkopf Wildcat. i have not seen or rode one in a long time and wasn't sure i ever would. we rode it a couple of times and it was great. It was remarkably smooth and fluid for one of the earliest steel coasters, Ca.~1967. Ran like a charm. The drops and helixes were really good with nice transitions. Worth the visit just to see and ride it. If you are ever going to oktoberfest, try to check this out, and while you are at it head to Tripsdrill, where we are going tomorrow.

Waking up for our final day onboard the Disney Treasure meant a packed day ahead with food, beach fun and lots more to take in across the ship. It's always the best day on a Disney Cruise when you're able to get Churro Mickey Waffles. Our final day of the cruise was marked by a visit to Disney's Castaway Cay. Daisy was out front to greet us! Look at this stuff! Isn't it neat? A look at the ship's aft design... Hi Bob! So much room for activities! The first of many captains I'd see today! Classic pose in a classic spot. Tis the reason for the season! Hiya pal! Howdy Goofy! One of my favorite vantage points of the ship on the island. This one as welll! Pluto was out meeting guests in front of Mt. Rustmore. The Maui shirt is pretty great. After some time at the beach (no photos, just relaxation) it was time to head back to the ship. That night would be our final meal in Plaza de Coco with the evening's theme and show being set around Dia de los Muertos. This Beef Birria Empanada kicked off the meal on a high note! Hector and Mama Imelda join Miguel in a celebration of the Day of the Dead that feels like a direct extension of the film Coco, in the best way. As the dinner and the show carries on, the restaurant's decor changes to match the spirit world vibe. These Red Chicken Enchiladas were amazing! So many great flavors to choose from and we loved them all (especially the Blistered Poblano Pepper)! My wife loved the Cappucino Creme Brulee Cheesecake. It isn't a Disney Cruise without at least one sundae consumed... This one featured dulce de leche ice cream, banana bread, cinnamon fried tortillas and whipped cream. Oh, and I was surprised with a birthday celebration onboard. Plaza de Coco is a great venue and a fantastic tribute to the film Coco. Roaming the ship on the final night as I always do, I had a chance to admire much of the art found in the stairwells and stateroom deck lobbies... I really like this display themed to Onward. They now have one of these for the Disney Wish and for the Disney Treasure. The hallway of Diseny heroines. The path leading to the Wonderland Cinema... I might have bought a print of this from the Art of Disney on Demand... I might have. I love how much this ship embraces 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea! Proper Enchanted Tiki Room representation found! The carpet in the stateroom deck lobbies matches the motifs of decor found in the staterooms... Proper Jungle Cruise representation found! A great piece inspired by Encanto. I was even surprised to find some Treasure Planet art onboard! I'm not crying, you're crying. The hallway lamps each project character designs around them in cute ways... These lamps also match the motif of the staterooms they neighbor. I would eventually end up buying this for home... Our final show in the Walt Disney Theater was Beauty and the Beast, one of my favorites across all of the fleet. As per tradition, on the final night of a Disney Cruise, there is a "farewell moment" that allows guests to say goodbye to the many characters they've encountered through their cruise. Oh Captain, my Captain! On the Disney Treasure, this farewell has no shortage of characters who fill the Grand Hall. Genie stops in and brings with him some confetti! Bilge-rats from Captain Hook's crew interrupt to represent the fun that was had on Pirates Night. Spiderman swings by for a brief goodbye! Captain Minnie, Captain Mickey and friends say "See Ya Real Soon!" one last time... And our storytellers Sage and Coriander, having found the fabled Treasure, set off to retell this story to new audiences... More love for 20,000 Leagues and I'm not going to complain! I popped into Scat Cat Lounge to check out this Aristocats-inspired venue. Some fancy, feline glassware going on in here. Can't stop staring... Won't stop staring. Ok, last one... I promise. I found it but I'm not going to tell you where! I do love that the ships' horns are visible and themed on the Disney Wish and the Disney Treasure! A look at the Concierge Tower Suite and the Toy Story Splash Zone at night. Love this! So much fun in one shot! We woke up the next morning back in Port Canaveral and it was time to drive (sadly, not sail) away... Another amazing cruise had finished, and this time, we had a new ship that's vying hard for consideration as one of our favorite ships in the fleet!

That would be a tragedy. Freeze is an icon. You can hear the roar throughout half of the park.

Rogue Rides has announced that their first trackless ride will open at Hunderfossen Eventyrpark in Norway in Spring 2026. https://boldmove-nation.prezly.com/rogue-rides-announces-first-trackless-dark-ride-system-at-hunderfossen Rogue Rides proudly announces at IAAPA Expo the first installation of its trackless vehicles at Hunderfossen in Norway. The BoldMove engineering and design team selected the innovative trackless vehicles for this exciting new media dark ride, slated for Spring 2026. Meanwhile the new Kamino show control is on its way, with a sleek design and using the latest, proven technologies. Hogne Hostmaelingen, Hunderfossen's Park Manager, comments: "In view of the compact space we have in the existing building, the trackless ride system of Rogue Rides has proven in our tests to be the most suitable on the market. We are not limited by infrastructural restrictions and can create a BIG experience on a small surface with maximum flexibility. The story already builds up in the preshow with the innovative motion of the vehicles being an important part of the overall dark ride experience." Comfort in all directions Rogue Rides trackless vehicles go far beyond smooth transport; they move with personality, responding to narrative beats and heightening every dramatic moment. At the heart of Rogue Rides is a groundbreaking application of mecanum wheel technology, long proven in the logistics sector and fitted with all the technologies to ensure a smooth ride. For the first time, this system brings the freedom and dynamics of large-scale steel rides into dark ride environments. Unlike traditional wheel-and-platform systems, mecanum wheels allow instant acceleration in any direction: forward, backward, or sideways. This unlocks a whole new vocabulary of motion, surprising riders with unexpected pivots, spins, and glides. Comfort is equally essential. That’s why every Rogue Ride is equipped with pneumatic air-oil suspension to absorb vibration and tilting axle technology for perfect ground grip, even during the most action-packed sequences. Kamino: Next-Level Show Control Rogue Rides pushes boundaries in show integration with Kamino, the most advanced show control platform on the market. Built on Unreal Engine, the same toolset used by top game studios and car developers like Tesla, Kamino bridges the gap between the virtual and physical worlds. This open, non-proprietary approach unlocks creative freedom for designers and operators: Seamless synchronization of ride motion with media and effects Predictable, high-fidelity simulations that improve budgeting accuracy, Opportunities to integrate AI-driven interactivity and adaptive storytelling. Operational efficiency and flexibility are key features in Rogue Rides development. The dual-boarding station allows for a more flawless boarding and unboarding, saving time and allowing one single operator to supervise the process. It can also be programmed to function as an extra buffer in case of delays during the ride. "By combining iconic vehicle design, unsurpassed motion capabilities, and future-ready show control, Rogue Rides sets a new benchmark for dark rides. The engineering team checked all existing dark ride systems on the market and validates Rogue Rides as a universal solution, overcoming current problems in power and reloading." concludes Benoit Cornet, CEO of BoldMove Nation. For more info about Rogue Rides visit: www.rogue-rides.com

Latest Tormenta construction photos!

Where's your SFSTL spirit!? We accept any and all rides donated from other parks. We are SF's charity case, and happy to be just that.

I have made it to Oktoberfest this year . My friend mike is meeting me tomorrow to start an achterbahn und bier trip. i started a week earlier and went to the drinktec convention and we will spend some time in munich before heading out to freiburg for europa park, mannheim for holiday park, home of expedition geforce, stuttgart for tripsdrill and the cannstatter wasen fest before returning to munich to finish off. I saw part of the opening parade lots of horse drawn bierwagons and brass bands. I have confirmed that olympia looping is still one of the most awesome things on the planet i got on the third train and it was great You must stay hydrated and the paulaner hefeweizen booth nearby offers a nice view. alpina bahn was running well too. It is my first time trying the new trains. I got a middle seat for some mild airtime. There are no headrests and at the bottom of the first drop there is a janky little curve that will keep chiropractors in business. Anybody else here, feel free to reach out. It is hot today at 30C but an awesome time. Maybe some night rides would be good. i was last here in 2014 and rode olympia looping 15 times. My goal itls to do 20 this year. Tickets are 14 euro bit still less than the airfare and more legroom than lufthansa.

We returned to munich today after our road trip and went to the ratskeller gasthaus under city hall for dinner. The food was delicious as was the upside down beer and reasonably priced. Lowenbrau fest beer gefählt mir gut. Despite the light rain we went back out to the wiesen. Supprisingly many people were there with umbrellas making rhe best of it. Got another ride on olympia looping. The rain makes it run really smooth but when it pelts you in the face you really know you are a die hard coaster nerd. (I have been through worse, pelted with sleet on behemoth in the late season, so this was easy in comparison) When it rains hard, the logical thing is to find a nice dry tent. No sweet caroline for this crowd, we got to hear german versions of bon jovi, the cranberries and oasis. After a long travel day that beer felt good. What would have been a rained out night was saved by thousands of people determined to have a good time, and willing to cough up 15.80 eur per liter to do so

Today we went to Tripsdrill erlebnispark. After a mildly challenging parcours of u-bahn, s-bahn, regional bahn and 2 busses, we made it. The German transportation system is well coordinated and so when you get off one leg of the trip, the next is waiting for you shortly afterwards. The park is a love letter to swabian culture, celebrating the quirks and eccentricities. They are nestled in a valley surrounded with vineyards and winemakers which they showcase the history of. As you enter the park you are greeted by a maypole ride where cars are hung from the pole and move up and down as it spins. We began our day with 2 rollercoasters added just in time for the pandemic. Hals uber kopf or head over heels is a new generation Vekoma suspended coaster (gold track). It fortunately bears absolutely no resemblance to the classic SLC headbangers we all know and love to avoid. I have heard that new generation Vekomas are really good and this confirms it. It had really nice pacing and a snappy layout of helixes, heartline rolls, swooping curves and inversions. The transitions were smooth and effortless making it a very reridable family coaster…. Which we did all day. Interwoven with it is Volldampf, roughly full steam ahead, a family steam train themed shuttle coaster (red track). The steam engine front car even has smoke coming out of the stack while in the station. It is pulled backwards up the launch hill and then released to come back through the station and past a bunch of twists and turns and burst through the roof of hals uber kopf before returning backwards to the station. Nearby they had a new ride themed to a coal car which at first glance looks like a top spin, but it swings you around and up and down without dumping you upside down and leaving you hanging watching the change fall our of your pockets. On the other side of the park they had a nice log flume, i guess loosely themed to roman baths complete with bathtub shaped boats but with a swabian castle exterior. Maybe trying to explain its contradictions is unhelpful, but it was really fun nonetheless. Sharing much of the structure is G’sengte sau- crazy pig coaster, a Gerstlauer wild mouse (pig) ride that was really good. It had a few of the standard flat 180 degree turns but also many swooping banked drops. The track on its own was great but its interactions with terrain and castle made it awesome. Easily on of the best of its type i have ridden. I thought i would like it but loved it instead. Next to it was Mamut, a gerstlauer wooden coaster. We were looking forward to this and were disappointed by how rough it was when we rode mid train. We came back later to ride the middle seat of the last car and it was much better but still not great. Wanted to like it but can’t. Around the corner was Karacho a gerstlauer infinity coaster. It looks really cool with a lim launch, lots of loops, non inverting and regular and helixes and curves. I am a big fan of Fahrenheit and enjoyed Voltron the tesla coaster but didn't like this one. It started off poorly with a jojo roll a la hydra ar dorney, a slow corkscrew inversion that has you upside down, falling into your restraints. Then an awkward klunky drop into the launch. it seemed that every time there was a transition between elements or the top of the non inverting loop, it had a jarring bump. It was really irritating and it took away from my enjoyment of this ride. I had hoped to ride it many times but i just went the one time. It did make a nice mark on rhe horizon with the vineyards in the hills behind it. Nearby was a fun ride that was a cross between a huss swing around and a jumbo the elephant ride with motorcycles and side cars. When you turned the throttle it made a motor sound and the bike swung out and up. They also had a really nice tivoli coaster themed to a millipede that banked and dropped through the trees and flowers. It was fun. For me it was an interesting contrast between the midway rides with their spectacular lighting packages at the wassen and oktoberfest and the ones here. They were more subdued and relaxing as opposed to something striving to get your attention. Tripsdrill is a really nice park with traditional displays celebrating local culture and old familiar rides coupled with new expansions that broaden the park’s appeal. It is a very different experience but fun in it’s own way.

Woke up this morning in mannheim and took the s- bahn and bus to holiday park, aka plopsaland deutschland. It is a quaint little park with a lot of attractions aimed at kids. Expedition ge- force is however an exception and a very forceful younger brother to millennium force. That is why we visited. We got there an hour after opening and saw the monster in all it’s glory… and an apologetic ride op explaining that it was down and they were working to get it running again. Something about zoltar messing with g-force seemed to be the problem. Not going to lie, we were a bit disappointed but decided to explore the rest of the park and hope they get it going. They had a really neat log flume with three hills, a backwards drop and a spectacular double down finale. And an apologetic ride op. They had one of those gerstlauer flying things like ninja turtles at mall of america. This one themed to airplanes with a p51 mustang model as scenery, so i thought i would try it, but as i got 2 cycles from the front, the previous riders did not come down and stayed 20 feet in the air. Moving along we went to try the premier skyflier in the background. We werent really looking forward to it since we had both passed up the chance to ride one at bgw a while back. The prospect of hanging in mid air and rolling back was unsettling but we had to ride something. It was a walk on and worked properly. Not sure i would ever deliberately ride one again but now we know. They had a zierer wellenflug without the upper canopy and just the frame which was neat to see. They are also putting the finishing touches on a new gerstlauer junior coaster with some neat trick elements. It looked really good. Checking out just beyond it looked like Baywatch: the ride. There are 9 rescue boats in a circle which go around and when you turn the steering wheel it swings out. It was pretty fun. Had a beer break and then made our way back to see how progress was on ge- force The flume was running as we walked by so we rode it and only got a bit wet. It was really good with some fun themeing along the way. We could hear and see the train running on ge-force so we made our way over to try it. It was awesome, much more forceful than millennium with strongly banked curves and ejector airtime hills in between a-la skyrush. we met lots of excited new friends in line and everyone was stoked that it was running again They only have one train on the track but it was about right for the crowd they had there. Apparently there is another but it was not on the transfer track. The whole park was in the middle of a forrest and it felt like a terrain coaster between all of the trees. As you climbed the lift hill you could see all of the track laid out beside you. It ends off with some intense ejector bunny hills and then into the magnetic final brakes. It was worth the trip to the park to ride it. We took a lunch break for some schnitzel and beer which were both really good and inexpensive. Rode a smurfs vs voldamort dark ride which was weird but fun after lunch. The rest of the afternoon we spent marathoning expedition ge-force. It was awesome. Tomorrow we go to stuttgart for the canstatter wassen which is their answer to okroberfest and then tripsdrill erlebnispark.

Today was our second day at europa park. You could probably do most of it in one day but there is so much detail in all of the theming and areas that it is nice to have a second day. It also allows you to go back to some of your favourites. It was so foggy and hazy when we got there That silverstar’s lift hill was hidden. the two things that stood out for me were the obsession in themeing, architecture and plants they have and how they pack so much in to a small space with rides folding on top of one another like hershey does but even more. one of my favourites was the swiss themed wild mouse where the queue walks through a barnyard with animals and chicken sounds. The train crashes through the barn on one of the dips. Some rides are hidden into the buildings to the point you don't realize they are there. Near the can can coaster there is a curio shop which when you walk through which turns out to be a ride that takes you through a bunch of colourful dinosaurs. It was really bizzare but fun. They have a larger blauer enzian powered coaster with a station that was amazing. It is woven together with an old school log flume. they had several water rides including one of the most aggressive white water rides i have seen. We had a great two days at Europa park and cant wait to come back We have taken the train to Mannheim and will see holiday park, now Plopsaland deutschland home of expedition ge-force tomorrow.

Track signing!! We were invited to sign both sides of the track!

Six Flags has officially announced Tormenta Rampaging Run will come to the park in the form of a new B&M Giga Dive Coaster. This coaster will break six world records at the time of its debut in 2026. Tormenta Rampaging Run will be set in a new Spanish village called Rancho de la Tormenta along with a new restaurant Cocina Abuela set in the park's Spain section. Six Flags Over Texas is taking history by the horns with the unveiling of Tormenta Rampaging Run—a record-breaking, adrenaline-pumping roller coaster that will redefine the thrill-seeker experience while changing the city's skyline in 2026. As the tallest, fastest, longest and first-ever giga (300+-foot-tall) dive coaster in the world, this one-of-a-kind thrill ride will trample six monumental world records. Themed after one of Spain's longest traditions, the running of the bulls, the historic new attraction will tower over a brand-new Spanish village called Rancho de la Tormenta and new restaurant Cocina Abuela, all fittingly located in the park's Spain area. Tormenta Rampaging Run will elevate riders to a height of 309 feet and, just like waiting for the release of the bulls, the train will release plunging riders into a record-breaking 95-degree, beyond vertical drop complete with sharp turns followed by other exhilarating drops that replicate the thrill of the running of the bulls. World Record-Breaking Features of Tormenta Rampaging Run: Tallest Dive Coaster: Soaring to an epic height of 309 feet, Tormenta Rampaging Run will give riders a heart-stopping view of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area before plunging them into a high-speed descent. Fastest Dive Coaster: Reaching a thrilling speed of 87 mph, Tormenta Rampaging Run will be the fastest dive coaster on the planet, ensuring an experience that delivers pure excitement from the first moment to the last. Longest Dive Coaster: Spanning 4,199 feet, this ride will offer an extended journey full of airtime (weightless) moments, sharp turns and exhilarating drops that will make riders feel like they are bull runners. Tallest Vertical Coaster Loop: At 179 feet, the loop on this coaster will be the highest of any coaster, of any type, in the world. Highest Immelmann Inversion: Being upside down at 218 feet will become a must for thrill-seekers and roller coaster enthusiasts from around the world. Highest 95-Degree Beyond Vertical Drop: Without warning, the train will release, dropping riders a record 285 feet down at a beyond-vertical 95 degrees. "Six Flags Over Texas has always been a leader in creating unforgettable experiences, and with Tormenta Rampaging Run we are soaring to new heights," said Mark Boyer, VP and Park Manager for Six Flags Over Texas. "This coaster is a true testament to our commitment to providing world-class thrills and innovation, and we can't wait to bring this historic ride to life in 2026." "As the world's first giga dive coaster, Tormenta Rampaging Run introduces a completely new ride category, blending giga coaster heights with the fun and thrill of a dive coaster," said Sophie Bolliger, President of Bolliger & Mabillard, consulting engineers and designers of the coaster. "This level of innovation sets new standards for the theme park industry and our company is honored to be part of this historic moment with Six Flags." The Story of Rancho de la Tormenta Plaza and Cocina Abuela Rancho de la Tormenta, an immersive, themed area depicting an old and secluded Spanish village, will warmly welcomes guests with vibrant colorful banners and jubilant Spanish music. This fictional town was initially named after the storms (tormentas) that swept across the plains it occupied, but that soon changed with the birth of a legendary bull that grew to be the most feared and respected animal in the land. Known for his fierce strength and incredible speed, matadors from all over Spain traveled to face him but none could defeat him. His name was Tormenta. As guests enter the plaza, they immediately will be engulfed by the aromas coming from Cocina Abuela, a brand-new restaurant redefining theme park dining. Inspired by the rich culinary traditions of Spain and Latin America, the menu will showcase bold, scratch-made favorites like Spanish rice, papas bravas, chicken tinga, and fresh house-made guacamole, all crafted with an emphasis on vibrant flavors and authentic quality. Six Flags Over Texas 65th Anniversary The 2026 opening of this multi-record-breaking roller coaster will be part of an important milestone for Six Flags Over Texas as it celebrates its 65th anniversary. When Six Flags Over Texas opened on Aug. 1, 1961, it marked a new era in family entertainment and set a precedent for future parks. The 65th commemoration will feature exclusive previews, special events, giveaways and many surprises making it a historic celebration worthy of the first Six Flags' original park that started it all. For more information about opening dates and upcoming events, visit sixflags.com.

We went to europa park for day one of two here. we started the day with the can can coastter, formerly eurosat, they refurbished it in 2017 and rethemed it as the moulin rouge in belle epoch Paris. The queue line themeing is great with the occasional nod to eurosat. Most importantly it rides great. It has a spiral lift hill with a rotating center column that pulls the train up the hill. It has parisian scenes and an eiffel tower as you get to the top. The trains have onboard audio synched to the ride that keeps pace. Scenery lights up as you go by including a winking moon from jules verne. Not too scary but really fun. Rode silverstreak, a b&m with great airtime. It had been mercedes themed and now is monacco grand prix themed. Not sure if it was suppodes to be a poke in the eye but they had a vintage Daimler owned by prince Ranier of Monaco. I have heard tpr sing the praises of the aquatrax and had to take the opportunity to try the one in the greece area here. Since it was drizzling and we were already a bit wet, why not. It was fun and exceeded expectations (which had been set low) Voltron was new last year and was awesome. We enjoyed the electricity themed queue line in the rain which felt disconcerting. Amazing themeing and ride with a statue of Nicholai keeping watch. pirates of batavia , having been restored from an elecrrical fire (on a water ride) was great. The queue line had some great stuff including the requisite topless mermaids. We tried out the food loop restaurant. You order your food and it gets sent out along coaster tracks including loops and helixes. The kitchen and bar send food up to a central dispatch area who distribute it to the correct table. There are special holders for drinks and food in pots down stainless steel tracks to circular tables. Each seat has a number and you get your food delivered by the food loop. Pretty fun and the food was good too. I had chicken breast on spätzle which was delicious. We finished the day in the rulantica waterpark with the ride and slide package. The indoor/ outdoor swimup bar came in handy and their wave pool is one of the most intense i have been to. It has a really bizarre lazy river that goes through caverns below the indoor waterpark with crazy themeing. They let you go around as much as you like and we finished the day with 4 more laps. it is not well explained but you can take a shuttle from the hotel in the spanish section to rulantica for free. You can take the large monorail from the front gate there.

Hopefully the entertainment enhancement includes a major revamp of Fright Fest. How many years are they going to just do the exact same things over and over?

Also lots of neat flat rides with cool lighting The mist made them glow

Hard to tell much from this. The park looks realty cool, though. Thanks for sharing!

I definitely agree. I visited the park on the Friday later in the day. Sky Ride and Carousel are closed for annual maintenance. Falcon's Fury has been closed for weeks but may have reopened since then (the app shows a 5 minute wait but it isn't accurate with closed and open rides). That left the train, Serengeti Flyer and bumper cars as the only non coaster rides open while I was at the park. The rapids are open but close at 4, 2 hours before the park closes for the day. Same with the new Wild Oasis area, closed at 4. You would think that with the log flume closed, they would keep the 1 water ride they have open until at least 5 or even closing time. In addition to Iron Gwazi running 1 train, Sheikra was also running 1 train even with the wait up to 70 minutes earlier. The computer systems were also down meaning no way to get Busch Bucks or any other rewards that can't be accessed on your phone. They tried the mandatory lockers earlier last week at Iron Gwazi and it didn't go so well with not enough lockers. When I walked past the ride when leaving the park, they had the old loose article policy signs out and the metal detector was off to the side near the entrance but not in use. Even with the operational issues, for a 75 minute visit and being able to ride Kumba twice, Phoenix Rising twice and Sheikra (Quick Queue) is still good. I stayed in the back of the park because Howl O Scream visitors were allowed in at that point and the rides in the front of the park had longer lines.

I still find it a little odd that they didn't go with the 10-wide trains on this "worlds largest dive coaster." But thanks for the update!

The front half of the park is much flatter than the back - there are some choices that would not only be at least as flat as the area it's in at SFA but possibly even flatter (SFA is less flat than Darien Lake). And the Tidal Wave location has variations in elevation along any potential orientation but the overall elevation from station to turnaround wouldn't be drastically different heading forwards because there's a mound in the particular location by Batman, tall footers would cover the low points. I'm still not sure they want to spend relocation money either but scrapping coasters isn't free - there's a chance you could be unhappy for at least someone in the chain. It still costs several million dollars to scrap these things.

I assume your referring to S:ROS? Not to worry, I would be thoroughly surprised if they decided to move it anywhere other than the scrap heap.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just scrap the piece of sh!t. Its old, not a good ride, dont need another hand me down, and with its age taking it apart and putting back together again takes its toll on the ride feel itself

First piece of Tormenta's track now in place!! This is the piece of track that we all signed!! Pics courtesy of Six Flags Over Texas!

Plopsaland Belgium has announced their largest expansion to date, featuring a new complex that will include a flying theater attraction, a bowling alley, a new train station, dining and more! https://plopsanews.com/en/press-releases/plopsaland-vliegt-naar-de-toekomst-een-recordinvestering-met-vliegende-cinema-als-blikvanger Plopsaland Belgium is investing no less than €25 million in the construction of Plopsaland Plaza, the largest expansion in the park’s history. The new complex, set to open in 2027, will become the central meeting place of the resort and will feature, among other things, a brand-new attraction, the Grand Café, a bowling alley, and the main station of the iconic Plopsa Express. The absolute highlight will be the Flying Cinema – the first of its kind in Europe – where visitors will literally fly across the continent together with Maya the Bee. With this investment, Plopsaland is taking the next step in its transformation into a full-fledged resort, aiming to grow to 2 million visitors per year. This firmly establishes Plopsaland as one of the leading leisure destinations in Europe. Plopsaland Plaza Plopsaland Plaza will become the new central hub of the park. The complex brings together experiences, gastronomy and entertainment in one location. Visitors will discover a brand-new spectacular attraction, the atmospheric Grand Café serving classics such as Flemish stew and steak tartare, the bowling alley, and the return of the iconic Plopsa Express – the train that travels through the park – with a completely redesigned station. With this project, Plopsaland Belgium is taking another major step in its ambitious growth story. Since the opening of the Plopsaland Theater Hotel in 2021, the park has already invested in groundbreaking projects such as The Ride to Happiness by Tomorrowland (recently named Best European Coaster), the indoor area Circus Bumba, and the villas and cottages of Plopsaland Village. European premiere The highlight of Plopsaland Plaza will be a Flying Cinema by Mack Rides. In a moving gondola, visitors will virtually soar through a giant dome screen, creating the illusion of truly flying. By day, guests can join Maya the Bee on a breathtaking flight across Europe. In the evening, different film experiences will be shown, designed especially for overnight guests and the evening audience of Plopsaland Plaza. For projection and audio, Plopsaland is partnering with Barco, a Belgian technology leader with global renown. Hans Bourlon: "We strongly believe in the potential of the Plopsaland Resort here in De Panne. With Plopsaland Plaza we are lifting our resort to an international level and, through this investment, want to set a new standard in experience and quality. We are continuing to build Plopsaland as the ultimate entertainment destination on the coast. Plopsaland Plaza will be the place where everything comes together." Gert Verhulst: "Maya is a perfect fit for a Flying Cinema. Visitors will soon take a flight across Europe together with Maya. It is remarkable that we can link a character who appeals to so many generations with such an innovative attraction. That makes the experience even stronger. Who would have ever thought you could really fly with Maya?" Carl Lenaerts, CEO Plopsa Group: "This is a milestone in the history of Plopsaland. Never before have we invested on such a large scale. With Plopsaland Plaza we want not only to attract 2 million visitors per year, but above all to strengthen our position as one of Europe’s leading leisure resorts." Top destination on the Flemish coast With Plopsaland Plaza, the park is taking the next step in the development of a full-fledged resort. By 2027, visitors will be able to enjoy a complete offering: from attractions and evening shows to a water park, hotel and holiday residences. Thanks to the Flying Cinema, the new Grand Café, the bowling alley, and the central plaza, everything will come together in one location for the very first time. With this project, Plopsaland Resort not only aims to grow to 2 million visitors per year, but also to strengthen its role as a driving force for coastal tourism. The resort in De Panne thus positions itself firmly among Europe’s leading leisure destinations.

Seems likely SFSTL will receive something from SFA. Our Park has a rich history of collecting relics from Texas, now it is time for something from the East Coast.

Very cool to see that on the open road.

seeing reports online (apparently "leaked") that Epic is reopening Stardust Racers tomorrow (Sat, 10/4). if true, I'm glad to see it reopening without any restraint adjustments - and I'm really surprised by that. but pleased. EDIT TO ADD: "Entertainment Weekly" picked it up: https://ew.com/universal-epic-universe-stardust-racers-reopening-date-roller-coaster-death-11824081

This looks like a piece of Tormenta's mid-course heading to SFOT! Pic credited to Tom Pavlik and Kings Island Pass Holders FB page.

Yeah, as you go through the flume underneath there is a scene with a roman bath with a bunch of naked grannies splashing around. There are a bunch of younger models, maybe transformed by the fountain that were too anatomically correct and risqué, so they have been given shawls to cover up. I can only imagine.

The suspended dark ride! I remember some one else posting a shot of it, during their tour of Europe. And that looks like a really interesting version of a Mouse Coaster. And the Rock & Roll Coaster looks great, too. And it looks like a less freak-out time, with smaller crowds, etc. Enjoy Tripsdrill!

It's part of the track that leads out of the station onto the lift hill.

Any idea where this section of track will be placed on the layout?

First official POV! https://youtu.be/_5je0hEcCLA?si=c-LNPtAI2QgQzxbd

Pics from tonight's presentation!

I'll be attending the official POV premier tonight!

That 218ft Immelmann looks insane! Followed by a 176ft vertical loop is double insanity!

While I am excited and I am trembling, the latter is because I have a cold. Depending on how this looks and when it'll actually open, I'm looking at taking a 12 hour detour into Arlington next year at the start of my main coaster trip.

Project Rubi goes vertical!! Pics courtesy of Six Flags Over Texas!

Monday was cooler and rainy so we went to the deutsches museum. Really cool. Then a little refreshment at the hofbrau haus where we met new friends Then off to the weisen It was misty foggy and agreat atmosphere for some night rides And then finished off with an upside down beer to review olympia looping. not sure how to make this right side up: maybe turn phone upside down. we are going there today and will check our the oide wiesen the old oktoberfest.

Quite right. They're the same trains, but they've been completely refurbished and repainted. They seem to ride like new! Very smooth!

They don't look new. Just repainted.

Those costumes look great. How do the new trains ride compared to the older ones? Thanks for sharing.

Legoland Florida has unveiled more details about their upcoming indoor family coaster, officially named "Galacticoaster." This new attraction will open at the park in early 2026 in addition to a merchandise location, a DUPLO tot spot and more! https://www.legoland.com/florida/things-to-do/theme-park/2026-news/ Galacticoaster Opens Early 2026! Coming Early 2026: A New LEGO® Space Adventure Blasting off early 2026, LEGOLAND® Florida Resort’s first-ever indoor family coaster is almost here! Families will board their own LEGO® spacecraft and launch into an interstellar mission packed with thrills, immersive storytelling, and cosmic LEGO fun. The Ultimate Indoor Coaster Experience Launching from launchpad Spaceport 885 (named after the original LEGO® Space Scooter set #885), this new ride marks the first indoor coaster built inside the main park since LEGOLAND Florida opened in 2011. The countdown has begun. Will you be ready? What Else to Expect Themed Queue Your adventure begins before takeoff with a covered, interactive line experience that sets the stage for your space mission. Orbital Outpost Discover galactic LEGO® sets and space-themed souvenirs to commemorate your journey. DUPLO® TOT Spot A soft play zone designed for tiny astronauts (ages 1–4) with nearby seating for parents. Family-Friendly Fun Imaginative LEGO theming, cosmic-scale storytelling and all-weather excitement—fun for the whole family, all indoors! Be Among the First to Ride! The countdown has begun—and Annual Passholders get priority launch access when Galacticoaster opens in early 2026!

New white Titan train!

We went to the park yesterday for the first time. CGA and SFDK are the last of the domestic legacy Cedar and Legacy Six for us to finally visit. We went into CGA with Fast Lane which was worth its weight in gold given the Labor Day crowds. What wasn’t worth its weight in gold was Gold Striker. What a disappointment to an otherwise great day. This ride is a 10/10 on pacing, layout, intensity, etc. - especially for a GCI. Even the luxury cushioning on my beloved Millennium Flyers couldn’t keep me from pulling a muscle in my neck mid ride from being jostled just right. Ended up in First Aid with an ice pack which I wore up until getting an epic front seat ride on Railblazer. Thankfully that didn’t bother my neck. As someone who doesn’t mind the roughness of Mine Blower, most SLCs, and the late Arrow mega loopers, Gold Striker scarred my ego a bit lol. Has it been too much for anyone else as of late? I thought we’d be safe in row 3. Really loved that Sky Buckets are on Fast Lane - did several laps. The old school B&Ms gave all the feels. Even Patriot was smoother than Penguin Trek. Having a full Starbucks was nice, which we are missing from Worlds of Fun. Glad we were able to experience everything and the park seemed to be firing on all cylinders. Not sure we’ll ever need back, but glad to get here for the history and nostalgia factor.