Rastuso

Jarmor, Do you have any dark ride vids you want to trade? I've got lots of them, all recorded with my VHS-C and converted using the top of the heap Canopus box. Digital cams just can't match good old analog when it comes to low light. That's why even when I do get a digital cam, I'll still lug my old one around for my dark ride ridethroughs. Rastus

^ The coaster at Centreville is powered, so it is notacoaster to me. I hit PCWo last around 1991, I think. I mistakenly went there once on Canada Day (D'oh). I also was there for a David Lee Roth concert on a VERY crowded day. I basically just went for the concert, but hoped ot ride something, but didn't. The one decent day I was there and got to rid eeverything, I liked the park. This was before the reprofiling of the out and back (Minebuster?), which was pretty good. I remember my excitement to ride my first boomerang too (I now have a permanent moratorium on riding them). I was saddened by the sign for the boomerang, as it looked just like the one for PKI's Bat, which I only ever got to look at. This was before Vortex, which I REALLY like. I love the mountain top turnaround. One other funky thing there is the log ride. It's the only one I think I've ridden that has true chain lifts like a coaster. I co-oped in Niagara Falls USA, so I hit Toronto quite a bit in teh late 80s early 90s. I even got to ride the woodie at the CNE before its destruction! Plus, I was at Crystal Beach on closing day : (. But never rode their dark ride (another D'oh). Rastus

You siimply have to let them decide when they want to ride, but also you must know what scares them. I have pushed my son to ride a few rides that I knew he would like once he got on them. Darkness is a big issue for him to, being 6. He's getting much better lately, so hopefully he'll ride Mayan Mindbender this year. His first big ride was Kong at USF, believe it or not. When he was 2 I believe. He wasn't scared of the dark then. He hopped on and grabbed onto the lap bar and was ready to go. He was wedge tightly between me and my wife, so he was safe. He also rode Pirates on that trip. Dark rides have been tough. Even ones like Pooh he doesn't want on. This stems from my love of dark rides, especially the scary ones. He thinks they are all scary. He is finally getting over this, as he rode Toad and even Haunted Mansion Holiday at DL last October, and even rode the mansion a second time. It was his favorite. Coasters are a mixed bag, he's ridden Viper at SFAW a few times. He likes it, but it always overwelms him a bit. The biggest thing to keep in mind is how well the kid can control themselves. Like on Viper, he's tall enough, barely, but he just doesn't control his upper body much, so he gets through around in teh turns. I end up helping support his upper body. Same thing happened on La Vibora at SFOT. He got tossed aroudn at each brake, and ended up not liking it. The most important this is to not force him on too much of a ride. ONe bad ride could cause a child to not ride other rides that they used to like. Also, try similar spinny rides to help build up to coasters. My son has been afraid of XLR-8. We rode the Chance Aviator at Kemah a few weeks ago and he liked it. SO, I'm pretty sure he'll go on XLR-8 now. I don't want him to ride the rides too fast. Every Spring I look forward to sharing new coasters with him. Rastus O'Ginga

I did a trip through Canada a few years ago. I haven't been to Marineland in 17 years (good Lord, I can't believe it was that long ago). I really liked Dragon Mountain. Not much else there. LaRonde was OK. It has a weird design since it was initially a World's Fair I believe. A few strange statues and fountains, and a very open layout. Le Monstre was quite good. One side was very good, the right, I believe. The bad thing about the park was the line jumping. It was atrocious. Tons and tons of teenagers with no respect at all. And the queues were filthy too. I had to line jump myself just to stay where I was supposed to be. We're not talking one or two jumpers, we're talking groups of 8 kids jumping into the line every few minutes. Their Dragon family coaster was mild but had neat theming in the dark. And they have a VERY long classic dark ride. I skipped their standup and inverted due to ridiculous lines and throughput. I think LeMonstre and their kiddie Arrow were their only original layout coasters. Everything else was a clone, perhaps the Dragon indoor coaster was unique too. Also in Toronto is Centreville park. No coaster, but a very good dark ride. Rastus O'Ginga

"I work with retards. I don't know what I'd do without those crazy bastards!" Rastus O'Ginga