Fry

I can't remember exactly which ones mainly because it's been a few years since I did Soarin and I don't really like it anyway, but, most of them were there if I remember. There was certainly the bit with the Golden Gate Bridge, the orange groves, the skiers on the mountain, the river and some others I'm forgetting. There was then also some bits of China thrown in as well. It was... bizarre. What was also weird is the ride system was a bit different in that you climbed to the very top of this building to load, and then the ride itself lowered down, so the screen was beneath you when you started. Very odd. Directly below was the 3D cinema and the Soarin knock-off operated on a rotational basis with that, so I thought they were probably just the same screen. Which is kinda cool actually, quite clever if not very... Chinese. It is pretty much a generic "racing" theme that you'd just find at an amusement park. It looks good, and fits in nicely, but, it's very generic and not really a "theme" like some of the other rides in the park have. The coaster itself is REALLY fun though, so I forgive it! I really liked Happy Valley Beijing, and thought some of the areas were totally gorgeous, like near Crystal Wings. Up close some of it had been abused or was obviously quite cheap, thinking of the Crystal Wings queue for example, but, overall I thought it was a lot nicer than most other Chinese parks. I think the fact that the last park with "themeing" we'd been to being World Joyland helped, which Elissa, I've gotta say, you're going to have a field day at. It's just wrong and horrible on so many levels. And to say it rips off Islands of Adventure is an understatement. It's... yeah. It's one to really, really look forward to in a "it'll be a day you WON'T forget" way!

The photos from me died there that day because my memory card decided to stop working /3 The Zoo in Beijing looks a bit run down, but, after Shanghai it was MUCH nicer! Loving the memories the report brings <3

I'd certainly say get there as early as you can, because the operations are horrible. It wasn't even busy when we went last month, but, we still had to queue two hours for the SLC because the operations were so bad. We got caught out by arriving quite late, and were lucky to get on the credits before closing, but, we did what Robb suggested at the Beijing park, and it worked out really well. I'm not sure how busy it'll be when you go, I think we hit it during school holidays, but, I would avoid a weekend if you can. Especially Sundays! I wouldn't count on Bullet Coaster being open, but, about three weeks ago some guys from S&S were there working on it. They were having to re-do a lot of it, but, I don't know how far along they were when we were there... Basically, don't count on it, you might get lucky but it will have only just opened if it is open!

I agree, I thought the episode was pretty awful this week. I don't have a problem with a woman playing Frank, it's not a BAD idea, I have the problem with Mercedes playing it... It was just... awful. It wasn't that bad until she trotted out to do that song, then it died for me. The Touch-A moment was class, Rachel and Finn do make a great Brad and Janet, but, they just seemed to miss the point of Frank totally. Which is a real shame. Plus, their version of Time Warp really annoyed me as well. I know they want to be involved, but, Brad and Janet just wouldn't know the dance... They should have just been generic Transylvanians at that point if they HAD to be in it... I dunno, it just annoyed me so much, they missed so much of what makes Rocky Horror what it is. But, I don't think I was ever going to like it - I'm too protective of Rocky Horror for that.

^Yeah, it is, it's listed on the front of the new ones. This place looks quite fun, I might have to pop in if I'm ever in Manchester!

The thing I find with Saw from talking to others about it is that it either beats you senseless, or you're totally fine on it. For me, it pretty much beats me senseless. I've come off it with visible marks where its smacked me in the face whilst the person next to me has loved it... I will be the first to admit Thorpe is bashed by us Brits for EVERYTHING, but, with Saw, I do think it genuinely sucks. It hurts me in ways that no other rides have done, especially compared to the other Eurofighters I've done. But, like I say, it seems to be a ride that either throws you around like a rag doll, or treats you nicely. And I'll agree, some of the little touches in the themeing are fantastic, and all the themeing works as much as it needs to at Thorpe. But, ow... Those transitions... Glad to hear that you liked it and that the park was great for you guys though!

Um, a lot of mine are British stage actors that no-one will have heard of, but, whatever Met: Diablo Cody on the 2008 Behemoth Trip. It counts Ben Cohen (ex-England Rugby player and general FITTY) Jason Donovan (of Neighbours and crappy Pop fame) Oliver Thornton (British stage actor from Priscilla) Tony Sheldon (Australian stage actor, from Priscilla as well) Sheridan Smith (British actor from British shows like Two Pints of Lager, met her starring in Legally Blonde The Musical) Daniel Boys (from British reality show Any Dream Will Do, and was in Avenue Q at the time) Julie Atherton (again, from Avenue Q, but, a singer in her own right) Alan Moore (wrote the graphic novel of V for Vendetta and a LOT else, lives on a street in my town) Louis Walsh (a judge from UK's X Factor, our Idol. Odd story, stumbled on him in a gay club in London...) Seen close (ie, not just at a concert) but not met: Johnny Depp Tim Burton Helena Bonham Carter Matt Lucas Alan Rickman Anne Hathaway Mia Wasikowska (ps, NO prizes for guessing what premier I saw them all at ) Gale Porter (UK TV presenter) Hardeep Singh Kohli (another UK TV presenter, see quite a few of them wondering around London) Meatloaf Britney Spears

I just finished Alan Wake today. It was GREAT. It might just be the fact I'm a MASSIVE Twin Peaks and Stephen King fan, but, it's AMAZING. Get it!

Oblivion at Alton Towers on Sunday.

That Spicy Peanut Butter Pizza was argubly the BEST pizza I have EVER had in my life! I mean, spice? Good. Peanut butter? Good. Pizza? Good. What's not to like? All pizza since has been vastly inferior

The Runaway Mine Train at Alton Towers!

Name: Ben Fry Age: 19 What is your roller coaster count? 472 What is your home park? Thorpe Park What is the nearest big city? London (I'm in it!) What is your occupation? Student About how many times a year do you visit a park (including your home park)? About 50 About how many times a year do you travel to a park that is not your home park? About 49 (I really hate Thorpe! ) When you travel do you go primarily to amusement parks or do you also try and hit other sites? I do try my best. Obviously some parks are so far out the way, or there's just no time, but, what extra I can hit, I will. What is the farthest you’ve traveled to go to an amusement park? To California, 5000-odd miles. IF you mean in a day, only about 200 miles. Does roller coaster time get in the way of family time? (Do you choose to miss your children’s or family’s sporting events, holidays, birthdays, etc…) Yes... I missed a family holiday to Wales for the TPR East Coast trip, and I wouldn't of had it any other way! Do you have any other major hobbies? Not as major as coasters, but, theatre and film keep me going through the off-season! Do you get feelings of sadness in the offseason? Do you even have an offseason? Do you travel during the offseason? I do have an off-season, but, I turn to my other loves, theatre and film! I never go to shows/movies in the summer, and do all the time in Winter. It's nice to get that balance. I don't usually travel in the Winter, but more because I'm busy with University than anything. Do you consider yourself friends with someone you met who works at an amusement park? (Or reverse it, if you work or worked and an amusement park have you made friends with enthusiasts?) Yep. One of my best friends works at a park. Would it bother you to go to an amusement park by yourself? If I absolutely HAD to, yes. Have you gone to an amusement park by yourself? If so have you ever ran into another enthusiast and tagged along with them? Yes, a couple of times. And no, never bumped into someone when on my own. Do you find it easy to make friends with other enthusiasts? Yep. Something in common! How do you get your coaster news? Forums. I can't be bothered to find it myself How many different forum sites do you regularly post on? Two If there was a poll that asked a large pool of enthusiasts what their favorite roller coaster is, what do you think would be the top 3 responses be for wood? And for steel? Wood - El Toro, T-Express, Boulder Dash. Steel - Bizarro, Expedition GeForce, Nemesis (I wouldn't agree with any of these three!) Same scenario but for amusement parks, what would be the top 3? Cedar Point, Tokyo Disney, Islands of Adventure Have you ever “stole a kid” to get a credit on a kiddie coaster? Yes... Shameful. Do you cut other categories out of your budget to make trips to parks? (Entertainment, fast food, holidays, tobacco or alcohol, etc…) Yep! Except alcohol Before you visit a new park do you research the park finding the best way to navigate the park, get the best deals, or what days to go? Yep. Do you feel the roller coaster enthusiast community is a warm and accepting community, or a negative and discouraging community? I find it depends where you go, but, on the most part, we're a warm bunch of people. Do you like to talk about your hobby with people who are not roller coaster enthusiasts? Yeah, if they'd listen!

Natalie, I love you and your updates. Also, I don't remember this... ... being taken, but it's amazing! Stolen for avatar...

I have a couple of "problems" with Superman and Toro. It's not that I don't like ejector coasters (Boulder Dash, Goliath, Phoenix...), I just don't think Intamin ejector is THAT great (... apart from Goliath ). I found Superman to have very "sharp" airtime, in that it throws you against the restraint, and then you're straight back down again, which I don't particularly enjoy. Especially since the (old) restraints really dug into my thighs and shins, causing quite a lot of discomfort. Toro I preferred, but, felt other than three hills and the drop it does... nothing. OK, those three hills and the drop are stunning, but, when that's the entire ride... I'd rather have something with some length and variation to it! As for preferring Ride of Steel, I just found it a much more enjoyable coaster. The airtime is nicer IMO, with you more floating than just being thrown out your seat. I really like its location too, and the helixes and speed are awesome too! Oh, and I preferred the drop on that one. SFNE's almost felt... sluggish to me. When I rode it last year I just kept saying "this REALLY needs a refurb or something, it's crawling!". Now, I'd love to go and try it again it has had that! And, as for Goliath, again, it has the type of airtime I personally prefer. It's strong, yes, but a much "smoother" strength than on Superman, which, as I say, I found to be very "sharp". I think the word I used to describe the hills on Superman when we were there was "triangular", and I think that sums up how I feel still. Plus, Goliath has much better helixes, stengel dive etc. I found Superman's overbank to be especially bleh! Stuff like Apollo's, Behemoth and Nitro are above both of them because I personally think B&M floater airtime is a much, much better type of airtime than Intamin ejector, Ultimate and X2 are both really, really brutal but amazing coasters, again, which suit my own personal tastes more than the Intamins, Khan is just pure force and a perfect B&M and then Terminator was just a much more varied, fun and exciting ride to me! I'll be riding EGF in two weeks so I'll let you know what I think of that one too

I can't do a Top Ten, I have to do Twenty, cause, I'm indecisive. But, this is my Top Twenty, with a few making an appearance after the West Coast trip! 1. Boulder Dash, Lake Compounce 2. Ravine Flyer II, Waldameer Park 3. Phoenix, Knoebel’s 4. Goliath, Walibi World 5. Behemoth, Canada’s Wonderland 6. The Ultimate, Lightwater Valley 7. Dragon Khan, Port Aventura 8. X2, Six Flags Magic Mountain 9. Apollo’s Chariot, Busch Gardens Europe 10. Furius Baco, Port Aventura 11. Storm Runner, Hershey Park 12. Nitro, Six Flags Great Adventure 13. Sheikra, Busch Gardens Africa 14. Terminator Salvation, Six Flags Magic Mountain 15. El Toro, Six Flags Great Adventure 16. Talon, Dorney Park 17. Griffon, Busch Gardens Europe 18. Tatsu, Six Flags Magic Mountain 19. Ride Of Steel, Darien Lake 20. Superman Ride of Steel, Six Flags New England