Electerik

Well, I was. But the complainer thing just always gets my goat. /And also, there's no Santa.

Okay--but that's what normally happens with new rides, too.

I know there are lots of iPhone users on TPR. Anyone play 'Words With Friends'? It's basically a Scrabble clone, and it's free to download (although, there are annoying ads with the free version). You can play random people, or people you know. I've found MonkeyOverlord already. Anyone else? I'm "Electerik" on there, as well.

^ Really? I like Happy Harbor. What's wrong with it? (You have been since they expanded it a year or two ago, right?)

So...this wouldn't actually be news if you removed the words "Disney World," would it?

Okay, so that actually does look way cooler than what I was imagining. Thanks for the report, Guy!

Hooray! "My" Tomorrowland! Thanks so much for the look back at my childhood.

I did always think it odd that Italy only had one restaurant, when Japan and France each have three. Heck, even Morocco has two!

"House" I'm picturing a boat ride.

Great stuff, Chuck! Almost makes me miss the west coast. (But only "almost.")

Yes, the freeway in the background is I-275. Interesting to hear that it used to be well-regarded.

Thanks. I was sort of on the fence as to whether to cover it at all, since I had so little good to say about it. But, hey, I paid for it--I should at least use the opportunity to warn others. Something good next, though it may take a few days to get it all sorted.

We like mini golf. A lot. It doesn't have to be new, or even particularly well-kept. In fact, very often, old funky courses are more fun than newer ones. It's kind of like a really bad old movie, where there's joy in the fact that someone somewhere actually thought that what they were doing was a good idea--but were very, very wrong. On the other hand, not all bad movies are fun. Sometimes, bad is just bad. Grand Prix Tampa There are quite a few activities at this family fun center, but we're just here for the mini golf. Indoor, a standard-issue arcade. The party room looks nice. That's good. Um...are those McDonald's cups in the claw game? What kind of crappy prize is that?? Pricing for the various activities. There are two 18-hole mini golf courses, and each one is $7.25 (no discount if you play both). The "scorecards" are actually just blank pieces of paper. And the courses themselves do not appear to have any sort of name or names. Well, this looks pretty. (Of course, it was a pretty day.) The holes don't look very exciting, though. The go-cart course doesn't look too exciting, either. Then again, I'm not really that into go-carts, so I might just be sounding like one of those people who think that roller coasters that don't go upsidedown must automatically suck. Well, okay, that's kind of cute. More boring holes, but at least there's something else to look at. On the other hand, you do get a great view of the freeway. So, some areas are nice, some are ugly, and all are boring. Got it. Monkey! (In the background, hanging from a tree.) The 18th hole on the left-side course. Even when there's something cool, you pretty much just putt straight up the middle of it. I have no idea what all the metal pipes sticking up all over the place are for. They look like capped off water lines. Maybe they just wanted to add some water fountains later on, but weren't sure where. If you don't putt straight up the middle, you find yourself retardedly behind this weird metal block. See the lighthouse up ahead? Kind of looks like the last photo, doesn't it? Run down is one thing, but boring and repetitive is hard to forgive. Last hole. Putt straight. Or whatever. Grand Prix Tampa's nameless mini golf. You can do better.

Yeah, so...People of Walmart, but not as good. Yawn. Also, kind of "high school," isn't it? Coaster nerds KNOW what cool is!

I know you're joking, but I think that would be awesome! Put the MCBR in a tunnel, come to a full stop for a few moments, have some animatronics and sound effects. Obviously, not a Cedar Fair thing--but how cool would that be??

I grew up in San Francisco, but have only had sex with two men. That should tell you how straight I am. Seriously though, great photos from Pufferfish. Can't stand NASCAR, but I'd rather have a coaster slightly-themed to that than not slightly-themed at all.

Thanks for posting this! This is one of those "places that got away" for me. I had plans to visit during a cross-country trip, but it was storming when I passed through, so I didn't even try.

This. This made me laugh! And...it looks like I misspelled "and." I blame Misty. I'm usually so tired of uploading photos by the end, that I wind up posting the update without thoroughly proofreading the captions. Then she reads it and tells me where I screwed up. Looks like she missed that one. Bad Smisty! Minor Threat is awesome, and very easy to get into because they only had, like, one CD. I've always felt that the only kind of music I really don't care for is middle of the road stuff. If I'm gonna listen to rap, it's going to be Public Enemy instead of MC Hammer. Thanks, as always, for the kind words.

No, no suggestion of anything even remotely like that. Not much of a drinker. But you can buy me 5 Wonderbars in the Canadian Pavillion, if you like. Wait, I thought that had aired already. Dave? Believe me, if these things had had genitalia, every photo would have featured them.

Dinosaur World is located in Plant City, Florida, adjacent to Interstate 4. This means that you drive by it between Orlando and Tampa. Which sounds like an ideal location--except that you probably have a reason that you're driving to Tampa or Orlando, and you probably can't spare the time for Dinosaur World. But we did. Such a momentous occasion deserves momentous idiocy. The red dudes coming out of the eggs are trash cans. A series of bridges connect the parking lot to the main entrance. Already, it is clear that we are in the presence of greatness. You enter and exit the attraction through the gift shop. The price is $12.95 per person, for adults. Check out this awesome attraction map, Xeroxed on actual paper. Dinosaur World consists largely of life-sized static figures of (duh) dinosaurs. Some of which are incredibly realistic. Yes, it's the mighty slugosaurus, which literally swam on top of the water! Amazing! Okay, now they're just messing with us. I would like to take a moment to point out that no one really knows what color dinosaurs actually were. Therefore, obviously, at least some of them could have been bright red and yellow. "I was black as your death, you fudging assclowns!" These Canadian dinosaurs were sad and stupid. "Should we eat her?" - "Dude, we're herbivores!" - "Really?" - "I dunno. Maybe." This area is known as "the museum." Now, normally, I don't take pictures of restrooms. Or, at least, I don't post them in these updates. But, come on, just look at those urinals! "After inserting a bill, wait until the machine no longer makes the grinding noise before you make your selection." "I want to get a vending machine with fun-sized candy bars, and the glass in front is a magnifying glass. You'll be mad, but it will be too late." -Mitch Hedberg Fossil Dig was not open while we were there. Dang it! Oh well. At least we got to play on the slides. And now, kids, it's time for "Touch and Tell!" (Just don't tell your parents!) Put your hand in the hole, feel around for a while, and then describe what it is that you think you're touching! "Why, it's a tiny plastic dino! Now this next one requires us to go around behind the building...." Ladies and gentlemen, I must apologize for the previous two captions--which were, obviously, in very poor taste. Yes, it's the boneyard...! Ah, forget it. Torosaurus: a seperate animal, or just some kind of weird Triceratops? Discuss. Yes, come to Dinosaur World, where you can sit on an uncomfortable bench and watch TV. That make sense, right? Next up, the Skeleton Garden. With music by Oingo Boingo! (Well, not really. But that would be awesome!) I thought this was a nice addition to the full figures, and made the attraction as a whole feel more complete. Penis. "Too graphic"? Let's go! Duuuude.... Even blue and red, these guys look pretty bad-ass. Wait...is that a herbivore attacking and eating a raptor? What the...? Cut! I have no idea what that means. Oh, okay. It means, "More violent dino attacks!" And now back to the big boring dinosaurs that don't rip each other in half. Let's read that first sentence together: "This is the largest of the dinosaurs which some people guess may have butted heads although scientists never found any evidence that they did." Okay then. This little guy is deadkennedysasaurus, though some people guess that he actually preferred Minor Threat and didn't really mind the suburbs but maybe not. Oh. Well, I guess that's it. And now, a crooked picture of the exit. Dinosaur World. I was not drunk while performing this update. And also we enjoyed it.

Well, they need to do something. As it stands, Epcot is a park full of restaurants that you can't eat at. /Sick of Moroccan food.

I didn't really forget. I just didn't mention Oasis because it's so different that's it's hard to compare it to the other areas, seeing as how it contains no attractions, shops, or eateries. I agree that it's very nice, though. I'm afraid I'm going to have to go with Mo on your parking lot statement, though. Fan boy!

Great photos. Thanks for posting this!

Thanks! The bats are in Asia, though. (Which is why they were not featured in this update. See below.) This update dealt only with the Africa section of the park, whereas my 60/40 split referred to the entirety of Animal Kingdom: Africa's theming = great Asia's theming = great Discovery Island's theming = amazing Camp Minnie-Mickey = weak Rafiki's Planet Watch = pathetic DinoLand, USA = 50/50 Yes, Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama does a great job of "transporting you" to a cheesy carnival erected in a parking lot. But...well, read the sentence again. You make a interesting point. On the other hand, if the theming completely loses you (and it does me), can it really be considered "good"? So, again, while sections of Animal Kingdom are undeniably beautiful--as a whole, it feels a bit slipshod to me. Tarzan/Nemo in DinoLand? Festival of the Lion King not in Africa?? Those are some pretty big theming breaches for such a new (Disney) park. Nevertheless, I have to admit that I rather like Animal Kingdom--almost despite myself. While there isn't a ton of stuff to do, what is there is very well balanced: a big coaster, a small coaster, a dark ride, a jeep ride, a rapids ride, a 4-D attraction, a circular ride, two big shows, two animal-viewing walking trails, a couple of full-service restaurants, and some absolutely gorgeous vistas. (Now if we could just get our transportation ride back.... )

That would be a good one. /Best thread ever.