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Yup. Fiesta Texas could also be the top performing: It has the highest quality shows! /bad pun Matt

^ I noticed you don't have a page for Magic Springs, yet. Here are some recent photo TRs from there (the first one's mine, I have higher rez photos if needed): http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26944 http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27110 http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27396 Cheers, Matt

Whereas those of us in the mid-twenties go on a nutcase by nutcase basis. Matt

Next Summer we're doing a drive from Houston -> Dallas (SFoT) -> Hot Springs (Magic Springs) -> Chattanooga (Lake Winnie) -> Gatlinburg (Dollywood) -> Atlanta (SFoG) -> Birmingham (maybe Visionland...) -> Houston. Of course, my wife's entire family is spending a week in Gatlinburg and it is the primary motivation for us to go, but we decided to make it a bit more interesting along the way. That's about the limit of where I'd drive to in order to do a coaster. Fly? Anywhere, so long as it is reasonably safe. I think Dubailand may be really nice if it pans out as planned, and also several new places in China are coming along nicely. In the short-term, I'm thinking a few places in Europe 2008, perhaps even the Scandinavian trip as well. Matt

How so? I've found that they are identical to ones served at the rest of the SF chain. Matt

^^ "O'Hanas"? It isn't an Irish name, you know, being located in the Polynesian and all ! Just about every restaurant in the World Showcase is top-notch in my opinion. Six Flags over Texas actually has great food during Holiday in the Park- especially the Kettle Corn. Some of the best. Matt

^ Matt

Disney pulled out because the locals threw a fit about Disney moving in. edit: There's an article in Wiki about it, but phpbb can't seem to parse links properly that contain apostrophes, so I can't post it. Matt

Ditto just about every park under the Six Flags name. This is comparible to bucketing out water from your row boat in the midst of hurricane. Matt

I haven't booked any of my 2007 airfare yet mainly because I've noticed prices seem to be inflated during the summer (possible correlation with higher gas prices in summers). Once the slow season starts (ie, September/October) I'm sure fares across the board will drop...at least a little bit. Also, southwest tends to have the cheapest fares, but they only have flights 5 months or so out at the most. Matt

What's an ER salary? Matt

You may have taken Business 101, but you're the one comparing an essential commodity to a luxury purchase. Then please stand up and call BS on the Entire Travel Industry's business structure. It will cost several thousand dollars for ANY week long vacation short of camping at a park. Those who attend WDW for one day without an AP make up maybe (I'm being generous) 1% of their entire clientele so you're arguing over what is essentially a hypothetical situation. Universal and Sea World charge just as much for one day. Before Astroworld closed down one-day tickets were selling for $50 at the gate! I'm failing to see what is immoral or unethical about charging market rates to get in to argueably four of the most entertaining parks in the world, especially when an average 4-7 day vacation drops the daily ticket prices to far below most local amusment parks. If you don't like Disney, that's fine be me. One less person in line in front of me, but please understand this is hardly a Disney phenomenon. Matt

Yup. Robb said he'd help me come over and build my Gyroplane. It's marginally more expensive than a commerical flight, but it is a one time investment! Matt

Yah...As a native Houstonian I don't see why anyone would book their Pacific or Atlantic connecting flight out of here. It'd be cheaper and shorter to connect through LA or NY (depending on which direction you're heading). We're only good if you're heading "South of the Border". Matt

Aside from those with an annual pass, who makes a one-day visit to WDW? Tickets for a 7-day park hopper come out to something like $25/day, and additional days are only a couple dollars more. Matt

And they have frozen coke to boot! The only thing better than Coke is a Coke slushy! Matt

No different than at any other chain amusement park. Disney's prices aren't any higher. Especially now that they offer they dining plan for free several months of the year. I'm going to spend several thousand for nearly any week-long trip regardless of location. I don't see how this is any more outrageously priced than any other destination. You make it sound like the only option available to families is a suite in the Grand Floridian with a Platinum "Magic Your Way" package. The only ripoff in a trip to DisneyWorld is the airfare, and that's only because I don't have four extra days to drive there and back. Matt

It's not really all that more expensive than any other major trip, judging on my research. And that's what it is: a major trip. It's not something to be considered like a weekend trip to a nearby amusement park, it's a vacation in and of itself. This, however, gets compounded when you have a wife that's never been there who wants to experience it all the most expensive way possible for the first time, heh. Matt

As of this morning all of the 2007 prices are up on WDW's site ( http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/index ). We just went and booked our December 2007 stay (my wife's first time to go). Just a heads up! Matt

I've found that non-amusement park haunted houses are far superior in most cases. The one exception is years ago when Splashtown (pre- 6F) here in Houston had one. It was reasonably well done. Matt

Mapquest, Google Maps, Windows Live Local, et al. are your friends! WLL gives about 5.25 hours (313mi) from Fun Spot to Holiday World, and about 2.75 (144mi) to Indiana Beach. Matt

Sorry, there's a one "sweet!" per sentence limit for the midwest trip. Matt

You won't be the only new one, roastedmarshmellow (awesome name, btw). My wife and I are planning to do at least one of the trips, and I haven't met a single person on this forum*. Newbies unite! *Actually, I ran into Xander when he was a ride op at SFoT's log flumes, but besides that, no one. Matt

^ You mean that you two won't personally escort us to each and every ride at every park? Now I'm having second thoughts about going... Matt

I've found you don't even have to worry about the "ripping out" part with wireless keyboards. They make good blunt objects. Matt