carolinacaniac

El Toro is my favorite, but I have yet to ride Voyage so I can't really say for that battle. Chuck, glad to see you enjoyed both parks, it was good to sit at lunch at SFA and chat with you a bit about Busch Gardens. Hope that we cross paths again whether randomly at a park or a future TPR group meeting/event! Gary "Not yet as experienced as others in riding wood" Taylor

I agree with you EJ, Grizzly is wicked awesome at night, Flight of Fear is tons better with the lap bars, and Volcano is great! Great Trip Report too! good to see you are enjoying the parks of Virginia so far!

I know this has nothing to do directly with theme parks or coasters, but I read an article from Yahoo about how airfare may go down for travel to Europe from the US based on a proposed agreement. http://biz.yahoo.com/ms/070427/192036.html?.v=1&.pf=family-home Sounds to me like getting those European credits or going on a future TPR trip may even more possible in the future!

Or maybe even at all. If the past of the company behind it means anything, I would bet it is possible this may only be an idea, and not a reality. How often do we see concepts come up and nothing gets done with it? Wild West World is one of the very few to have made it out so far, and Hard Rock in Myrtle Beach is coming along too, but how many others have been cancelled?

Are you talking about spoungebob and friends or my Fiancee? I have to admit that I can understand what it is like to be a comstumed character, because when I worked at Chick-Fil-A, there were many B-Day parties where I dressed up as the Chick-Fil-A cow, and some kids will love it, others will scream in fear, but I still thought it was fun for the most part, but then again I only would do it once every few months and for only about 10-15 minutes.

I gotta admit that I am a bit bummed that it won't be THE Zippin Pippin, but at least we are still going to finally get a coaster here in Eastern North Carolina. I hope that the original won't go to waste, but we have seen how things have gone lately with parks/rides that peoplke try to keep open.

Definatly a great deal! If I can figure out this month's finances right, I will definatly be buying a few DVD's, and maybe even a t-shirt.

this will be great for anyone wanting to ride Zingo and other Bell's rides. I hope that robbie and crew will do well at their new location.

I had a simmilar experience. I was bout your age (I was 14) when we moved from Seattle to Eastern North Carolina. It took a little time to adjust, and being further away from family was tough (my dad still lives in the Seattle area), but it can also be a great experience. You get to meet new people, and you get to see what life in another place is like. That and I am sure that you and your family would be able to visit Florida, even if not as much as you would like. I went to visit my dad every summer until 2004 when I went to work at Cedar Point for the first time. I have to say that I do miss Seattle, but to be completly honest, I am not sure if I would want to move back. Although I am not the biggest fan of Greenville, it has its positives. It just depends on how you look at it.

I would say that Thunder Road was not bad at all, I thought it ran awesome while we were there. Hurler on the other hand shook like a big booty dancer! We rode in the back, so your theory may be correct, but I won't know until I go again. I hope it will be sooner than later though! Thanks for the comments so far everyone!!!!!

-Wacky Soapbox Racers (Knott's Berry Farm) -Space Mountain (Disneyland) -Python Pit (Jeepers! Concord NC) -Hurricane, Little Eagle, Mad Mouse (Myrtle Beach Pavilion) -Crazy Mouse (Myrtle Beach Grand Prix)

Hey Robb, Just wanted to say that it was cool to meet you and a few others. (In case you remember or not, I was with the three others who ran into you, Elissa and KidTums just as you all were getting out of your car in the lot). I would have liked to hang out with the group more but I think my friends, fiancee and I were kind of just doing our own thing for most of the day. Maybe next time you all are in the area I will tag along a little more. That panda picture was great! deffinatly have to agree that the simplest things can be very amusing. I have some pictures to post too, but I will have to do that tomarrow or tuesday since I have an assignment to finish up here since I went to DC for the weekend Gary "Hurry for dirty animal pictures before lunch" Taylor

So does that mean that last year they made a profit? or was he just saying figurativly speaking they turned around? Either way it counds like they are doing some good things to help ease the "pain" if you will, of removing two big coasters. Sounds like 2008 could be a promising year if things go well. I hope it does, I really liked Geagua Lake.

Kyle: You can use it at any other six flags park, but not the seperate waterparks or the recently sold parks. I just renewed my play pass, and it is good for what I said above. I am definatly ready for Saturday! can't wait to see what a coaster day with the TPR crew is like. Anyone know if Joker's Jinx has run yet this year? it is the only coaster I have yet to ride at SFA.

Yep, that was me. I may have to post that video, I just have to figure out what is wrong with my win-zip program. I had actually taken that video to show my fiancee what the launch is like since when she and I went to the park last July, Flight of Fear was closed.

I think I remember you, but I am not sure. I had the blue Cedar Point jacket on.

That was the main reason I got as many rides in as I did. I had a re-ride on just about everything except Volcano and Flight of Fear (seperate exit platforms), I also did not get a reride on Ricochet by choice, but I could have just switched to another car since nobody was in line at the time, and Avalance was only one ride because it actually had a line. And just like Bubba Z said, there were tons of Paramount signs around! I think Carowinds had more removed than Kings Dominion though, especially the front Signs. Kings Dominion still has their Paramount Logo at the front, but Carowinds ditched theirs.

I saw Bill and his son at Volcanomainia this past Saturday. He gave me a tip about making sure to riude the Coaster at PNE Playland in Vancouver (Melissa and I are going to Vancouverfor a day in July, so I think I know one of our stops there

This past Saturday, I went to my first coaster enthusiast event, Volcanomania. It was put on by the Coaster Zombies and Coaster Crew. I had gotten up at 3:30 that morning for when Melissa got off of work because she wanted me to stay up since her car was running on a doughnut (she was going to get a new tire later in the morning before going to work). Since I was planning on getting up at 4 or so, I did not worry about trying to go back to bed when Melissa got home. I got showered and headed out, stopping at Sheetz here in Greenville for some breakfast. I made really good time and pulled up to the parking lot gate at about 8. It turned out to be Cold and Rainy for most of the day, but the sun broke out every once in a while. Most of the rides ran all day, the only exception was HyperSonic which did not open until around 5. ERT took place on Volcano from 9:30 until 10:30, and Flight of Fear ERT was from about 10:00 to 10:30. During the ERT I got 6 rides on Volcano and 5 on Flight of Fear. I had a personal record of 35 rides on coaster today, with counts going as such: -Volcano: 7 -Flight of Fear: 6 -Grizzly: 5 -Scooby Doo Ghoster Coaster: 3 -Anaconda: 3 -Rebel Yell: 3 -Shockwave: 2 -Hurler: 2 -Italian Job: 2 -Avalanche: 1 -Ricochet: 1 I also took a spin on Flying Eagles, Drop Zone and Dodgems as well. Other than the cold and wet weather, it was a pretty good day. It was fun to meet some new people and to be around people who appreciate coasters the way I do. Same reason I cannot wait until Saturday for the TPR meet at SFA!!!!! Here are the pics! And a parting shot of the Eifel Tower from the warmth of my car. Thanks for reading!!!!! For some reason, I was waiting to hear the ride attendents to say "Welcome to Alaska" when the train came back to the station. Maybe that will stay at Cedar Point Signature Shot!!!!!!! Still a really fun coaster! Nothing like a round of Bumper Cars. These were actually hitting hard today! Anyone else ready for the third one to come out? I know I am! Luckily I got my ear protecors just for this ride!!!!! (Actually, these were just ear muffs, since it was cold out). Head bashing fun that is Shockwave My favorite drop ride!!!!! Cedar Fair Official: "So when are you gonna finish getting those Paramount logos down?" Kings Dominion Worker: "When we can get the operation signs right" Rebel Yell, both sides were running well today. So HyperSonic has the ability to stop on the top on the tower. Maybe if it did that while people rode it, it would make up for it being a bit rougher latly, although I did not get a chance to see if it ran better this year. Hurler, this thing was shuffling like a deck of cards today! Ricochet, one of my favorite Wild Mouse coasters (but not as good as Steel Dragon at Waldameer). Grizzly might as well have been part of the ERT too. The rest of the park was like this almost all day! "Stop. Who would cross the Entrance of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the ride he see. What is your name?" Flying Eagles, I had never ridden this before today. The wind was getting a little heavy which made for some good snaps! They took out the Hannah-Barbera video Clint Novak of Coaster Crew and In The Loop podcast. He held a podcast after the raffle, but I didn't catch it as I went to ride. My nametag, the Volcanomaina Button, and a pin from the Italian Job opening from last year. Everyone also got front-of-the-line passes good on any wednesday from June through August. My ticket was the third one drawn, and I won 10 Scooby Bucks!!!!! Sam of Coaster Zombies drawing tickets for the raffle just after lunch The Hangtime Moment of Anaconda Anaconda, which from the next to last row gave good rides today! May be small, but still gives a good ride. After ERT was finished with Volcano and Flight of Fear, I went on a little riding until lunchtime. First was Scooby Doo A great ride! I missed Flight of Fear, for each time I came up to Kings Dominion last year, it was closed off. A hanger? what could be inside? Hey, this gate was closed last year, I wonder what could be back here...... Ahhhhhm the perks or ERT, no lines for great rides! Waiting to take an ERT ride on Volcano Well, well, well. Where have we seen this before? They have opened up Volcano just for us! AHHHHHH, INTAMIN GOODNESS!!!!! The fountains greet us into the park Here we all are waiting to be let into the park for some ERT on Volcano and Flight of Fear! Drop Zone from the parking lot booths The star of the event, VOLCANO! This was taken while waiting for them to open the parking booths

Just found out yesterday that I got the time-off I asked for to go, so me and my friends Sean and Christine, and my fiancee Melissa will be there for sure now

I am. I can't wait for some ERT on Volcano and Flight of Fear!!!! I have been debating with myself on wheter I wanna do the Water Works tour or just keep riding, but I think in the end I am gonna take the tour.

Do they still call the Wizards the Bullets too sometimes in DC?

You go to parks you have been before so that you can get that kiddie credit that you missed because none of the parents would let you barrow their kid, or to get that credit you missed because the freakin' ride was closed due to another one kind of like it breaking down (which would be my case since I went to SFA last year and missed out on Joker's Jinx since Chiller broke down).

Sweet!!!!!!!! I can't wait to meet some of the fellow TPR members, April is looking to be the best coaster month for me so far this year! Carowinds on the first, Volcanomania with the Coaster Zombies on Saturday, and now a day with the TPR gang!!! Gonna be a good time!

Hey Robb, Is it cool for us to bring friends? I would like to bring my fiancee and two of our friends (one of them is doing her internship with the Department of Interior in D.C.)