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It didn't dawn on me at first but that amphibious ride was used on Running Man episode 201, how exciting. Quick question, did you only see the PSY show in the KPOP hologram theater or did you see the Big Bang and/or 2NE1 also? how were they? I have read about them on the YG web site but didn't know they were at an amusement park.

Darn you Robb for posting the full POV video of this great looking transformation while I am in China with no access to YouTube. Oh well I will be back in the states in 4 days so I guess I can wait until then to see the full video but from Six Flags embedded half video this ride looks great and that first drop/inversion looks insane.

Weekday events would be great, I have Tuesday and Wednesday off but I have to be at work on the weekends because I am the only manager on Saturday and Sunday and I have always wanted to do a TPR BASH event but couldn't. For me personally though, it depends when in August you are thinking of. I am going back to China mid-August for 3 weeks (getting married and on our way to our honeymoon in Macau she said we can stop in Shenzen to ride wood coaster, YAY. Darn you Robb for posting that video and getting me excited about that great looking coaster, LOL) but anything before then I will probably be in.

Actually, when I went in April they were running 2 trains on Hair Raiser although 1 was running empty (it was on a Saturday and I guess they were expecting a lot of people, they did start loading the second train around 3 PM) and you are correct, sitting on the brake run is really a nice end to this great ride.

I 100% agree that any coaster at Ocean Park has the best view of any park. When I went to Ocean Park earlier this year I absolutely fell in love with the park (both at the top of the mountain and at the base of the mountain) plus the yellow and red color scheme of Hair Raiser against the green mountain and blue ocean background really make for an absolutely beautiful view. Riding this absolutely breath taking B&M and checking out the scenery of the surrounding area is what dreams are made of, no... dare I say this would be my vision of Heaven. Speaking of Hair Raiser I say to anyone who has not had a chance to ride this coaster wait until Robb gets the POV up because this is one of the best B&M coasters that has come from them in a while, it may be short but it packs a mighty punch (Air Time Hill FTW).

Alright, you guys finally made it to Guangzhou... my neck of the woods (my fiance lives in Guangzhou and I am there twice a year). Have a great time at Chimelong Paradise, just curious are you guys planning on going to the top of the Canton T.V. tower to do the rides up there?

I just filled out the questionaire, the Japan trip sounds fantastic as always but I will be going to Japan and China next month so I will be doing all the Japan parks then so I will have to really think about that one BUT it looks like it will be good. Plus it always seems TPR has the most fun on the Japan trips. Mini UK trip looks great, not too expensive and airfare to the UK is really reasonable so really for around 2g's this would be a great and affordable trip and from my experiance i went to Alton Towers 2 years ago in September and the park was empty so that would be a bonus. The best trip is the midwest trip. Gatekeeper, Outlaw Run and Iron Rattler on the same trip... how can you go wrong.

August - Cedar Point and Kings Island September - Universal Orlando, Sea World Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa October - Universal Studios Japan, Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo Disneysea and Chimelong Paradise (China) December Disney Orlando for Osbourne lights

Parks I have been too so far : Magic Kingdom Animal Kingdom Disney Studios Epcot Busch Gardens Tampa Disneyland Disney's California Adventure Knott's Berry Farm Six Flags Over Texas Ocean Park - Hong Kong Hong Kong Disneyland Universal Studios Hollywood Six Flags Magic Mountain Parks I plan to visit still : Cedar Point (August) Kings Island (August) Universal Studios Japan (October) Tokyo Disneyland (October) Tokyo Disneysea (October) Chimelong Paradise - Guangzhou China (October) Nanhu amusement park - Nansha China (October) Universal Studios Orlando (December) Islands of Adventure (December) Sea World Orlando (December)

Wow, this will be a great addition to China. I go to Guangzhou every couple of months and make it a point to hit Chimelong paradise, Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park and I am anxiously looking forward to this park being built. I do enjoy the collection of rides in these 3 parks and this will just make a great addition to my park going experience in China. Chimelong is a nice little park with some fun (but cloned) coasters, HK Disneyland will be a really nice Disney park when the 2 new lands open (already it is a nicer park than Disneyland Paris) and I just went to Ocean Park for the first time and I must say that this is one heck of a nice park, probably in my top 5 parks in the world. I look forward to hitting the Happy Valley parks on future trips and then going to this park when it does finally open.

Ocean Park in Hong Kong on April 21st

Well, there goes that theory. Cool video, BTW

Okay I guess I will give this a shot. most of the airport pics are of their layovers while they are at the actual airports (Atlanta, spain or Brazil, Tokyo) and of course the starting airport of Orlando "MCO". There are 2 photos that have been bothering me but I think I have figured them out, the Vegas picture and the Love Boat picture. It is obvious that they are in Tokyo, the vending machine with the Japanese water and drinks, the photo with Elissa holding the McD's frys and the Japanese sign strategically placed in the background and Robb holding his favorite McD's treat that is availiable in Japan. The picture that has bothered me the most is of Vegas (YAY Vegas), it wouldn't be a picture of where they "are" so that ruled out Vegas, I started thinking New York but ruled that out when they arrived at a spanish airport for a layover. It was bothering me until it finally clicked that it was a picture of "The Roller Coaster" built by TOGO. TOGO was a manufacturer based out of Japan and this "Japan" clue was well before they had their layover so that told me they were going to Japan (also the picture of a "big rock" out in the middle of the water... like an island, Japan is an island, hmm). Now Robb has been posting pictures of movies... Universal Studios produced movies which everyone has immediately thought Universal Studios in Singapore but because I am going to Osaka in September I was thinking Universal Studios Japan. This led me to think are there cruises (love boat reference) out of Osaka??? well no, Osaka is too far inland BUT, DIND DING DING, Universal Studios Japan does still have a working... wait for it, Jaws - the ride featuring Captain Jakes Amity boat tours and it seems that alot of people were upset that Universal Studios Orlando closed their version that Robb and Elissa are going to get a video of the Japanese version. I think that the picture of a cartoon character might be from the que of Space Fantasy the ride, I tried to find a video of the que online but I could not. Hopefully I have this correct but either way, right or wrong, I hope that the Alvey family enjoys their vacation.

Just ordered mine now the long wait begins... because I am so excited to get it!!!

As soon as I get home from work I will be ordering the rawHD vol.2. Plus I was going to use my 5 dollar credit but at only $15.99 I believe I will save the credit. Dang Robb, that is a smoking price for a blu-ray how do you do it.

When I was there a few weeks ago it actually seemed louder when standing under the bend. It's really loud

I have to admit, even with its low capacity issues this ride looks simply amazing. I so wish that Magic Mountain had installed this instead of Green Lantern. This ride will surely be worth the inevitable 2 hour wait.

Robb, I am thinking of maybe heading back to Japan in February and I was just wondering at Universal Japan in Osaka what hotel did you stay at? I see they have 5 official hotels (and 9 neighbor hotels) and was wondering which one you stayed at (so I will know they are "English" friendly. Thanx

Thanx to all for all the great advise. All lodging and transportation is now paid in full. Now all I need to know is am I bringing enough. I am planning on buying $1000 USD worth of british pounds (yesterday it was 644 pounds but today it is 620 pounds) so I am hoping to have around 600 pounds for 5 days. This should be enough for food (we do not drink so money savings there) and whatever else pops up, right? Thanx again for all help.

This update makes me miss Tokyo Disney so much. I was planning a trip to Osaka next year (if the US dollar does not completely collapse that is) and I might have to jump over to TDR for a few days. Its so true about the Japanese people taking their parades seriously, I saw people starting to line up an hour before the electrical parade and decided to grab my spot and pass up on going on a couple of rides. Again thanx for bringing back so many memories.

See, I knew posting an opposite review would get you fired up. I did the ride only 1 time during my 3 days there and just like you wrote " on my first ride on it a couple of years ago, I found it to be kind of under-whelming" which is exactly how I felt the 1 and only time I rode it. I am sure if I rode it again MAYBE I would change my mind but everytime I walked by it the wait was over 1 hour and for a ride I felt was "under-whelming" I did not want to wait. You and Elissa both agreed that it would be better if there was a button on the flashlight and I agree 100% with you guys (but please no TSM pull string my arm gets so tired by the third game). To answer the second question yes I do speak Japanese (not fluent but I had no problem getting by anywhere I went in Japan), so I did understand what to do that is why I said I put down the flashlight and just enjoyed the story (although the written instructions suck, Japan has 3 styles of writting : Hiragana, Katagana and Kanji. I only learned Hiragana but darn them if they don't write signs using all 3 styles). Much like the fact that you didn't care for Storm Rider at Disneysea and I loved it, and I didn't care for Monsters inc. but you loved it we can agree to have a freindly disagreement but unite in the fact that TDR is greater than all other Disney parks combined.

And of course my post has to be under Robbs complete opposite reply... Please be gentle with me, Robb. LOL

If you don't mind my .02 on this, I was highly unimpressed with Monsters Inc. at Tokyo Disneyland. When I went last year it was the only ride open for early entry (Star Tours had already closed for rehab) so of course everyone had run over there (actually to the fast pass line like Robb pointed out earlier). So after waiting 30 minutes in line we finally got on the ride and all you do is point a flashlight at "hard hats" to make things happen while people in the other cars do the same. I actually put away the flashlight and just enjoyed the story while everyone else pointed their flashlights at the items. Its an interactive ride but at the same time it really is not, I can say its a cute ride but, (and I really hate to say this) I would put it equal to Disney California Adventure's version...wait, no, I was in Japan so I will give it 1 notch higher. Don't get me wrong though, if you make it out there definately ride it to see the story.

Does anyone know anything about the next Version of Toy Story Mania going in to Tokyo Disney Sea? Is it going to be a clone...or is it going to be somewhat different? I really haven't heard anything about it. Its Tokyo Disneysea, they will take the awesome quota up to 11, LOL. Seriously though, it could be the same exact ride but they will somehow make it better.

We usually do some sort of Japan Trip (of course including Tokyo Disney Resort) every other year. So start planning and saving for 2013! Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. Is this some sort of tease????? please tell me your serious, please, please, please.