ThemeParkCommando

I pointed out to my boyfriend that in the "Casey gets the harem drunk" pic, I'm the only one without an alcoholic drink. (It was a smoothie; I decided it wouldn't be wise for me to mix alcohol and coasters...) His response was "Yeah, but you LOOK drunk." Well, yeah...I have a way of doing that. *Pointing and slurring*: I'M NOT DRUNK! Miss y'all! Cheers, Vanessa

ROTFLMAO! I am honored. I have been immortalized. I WANT THE COCK! Wow, I've never been in cartoon form before. I had no idea you drew that, Cora. You rock! MARF! And yes, the best part was Casey's reaction. I keep telling people that I'm not as innocent as I look... My boyfriend's reaction to said cartoon, by the way, was "Now I have proof that you missed me." Cheers, Vanessa P.S.--I love the other cartoons, too.

Hello again. Thanks to all for your input. Here's a few reactions that I have: Robb: I've been through the TR of the ultimate "Wisconsin Dells and More" credit whoring trip...more than once (because it's so freakin' funny). I especially liked "Satan's Village." Creeeepy. They set a REAL fire to be put out?! Elissa: Yes, I'm sure being female...and looking young...helps. Okay, not kiddie young, but you could pass for a teenager (as could I). I'm sure you're looking forward to the time when KidTums is old enough--but not too old--for the kiddie coasters. You won't have to steal a kid for the "no adults without a kid" coasters, at least for a while. Julie: I just wanted to mention that I fond your TRs quite amusing. I love your interpretations of the picture warning signs by rides. Maybe on the Midwest trip I'll take a spin on Woodstock, the Hat-Eating Coaster. (The mouse ears are since you worked at Disney World.) Jeff Johnson: I must admit that, were I not in the know, looking at the picture with you in line for a kiddie coaster I would have thought "Pedophile." Now I just think "Sad and Pathetic!" I admire your ability to utterly lack self-consciousness. --Vanessa "not a credit whore, but anything's possible" Martin

Seeing the TR of Jeff Johnson's recent credit whoring adventure got me to thinking. This is a relatively new concept for me, so I'm curious: What's the most common reaction by ride ops when adults ride kiddie coasters? Suspicion? Indifference? Amusement? Feel free to share stories! --Vanessa "I haven't ridden a kiddie coaster since I was actually a kid" Martin

total13: No, you don't sound crazy, because I share your anxieties. I am also afraid of heights. This first appeared in my early teens. I was in an observation tower in Gettysburg (which has since been torn down, as its height was an eyesore) and I suddenly found that when I stood near the windows, I felt dizzy and felt like either the structure or I was going to fall. I had to back away and plaster myself against the wall by the elevator. So I avoid observation towers. Once roller coasters get going, I'm fine, because I'm going so fast that I barely have time to register where the hell I am, but life hills are difficult. I keep my eyes glued in front of me, and whatever I do, I DON'T LOOK DOWN. I wrote in another post that I'm very nervous about TTD at Cedar Point, but now I realize that I may be even more nervous about Millennium Force. That's a high lift hill. At least TTD rockets you up. I also avoid Ferris Wheels, again because I'm too aware of how high I am. (No, I don't mean high as in stoned. Silly people...) I feel too exposed. The only one I ever liked was the Giant Wheel at Hersheypark, because it didn't "stop at the top," as I put it as a kid. Now it's gone. Sigh... The only drop tower I've ridden is the Tower of Terror at Disney World, because I'd heard that the special effects were not to be missed. Plus, you're indoors as you're rising. I rode it twice; the first time I mostly had my eyes closed during the view from the top. The second time I kept them open. I didn't much like the sensation of dropping, but the effects were cool. I'd ride it again. As for your garden variety, outdoor, non-themed drop tower...Nah. They're not interesting enough to me to entice me to challenge myself by riding them. Yes, I do love roller coasters. And I was feeling rather neurotic due to what bothers me, so it's great to see that I'm not the only one! Oh yes...sorry I'm not quoting total13's original message. It's late and I'm tired.

I must admit to being one of those people who is wary of infants on planes. I tend to sit near the back of the plane (I'm usually on Southwest, with open seating) because there are less small children there. However, this backfired on a flight from Orlando to Baltimore, since a couple with a baby who screamed nearly the whole flight brought her to the very rear of the plane by the lavatory. Thus she was further away from many passengers, but right behind us. I should add that I do not hate babies. I often find them charming. And I don't blame the baby for feeling lousy and screaming. It just grated on my nerves. (I'm also sure that it would be different if it were my baby.) So I must heartily congratulate KidTums for being such a good traveler! (And I have no qualms about possibly sharing a bus with her on the MidWest trip. It's KidTums, after all!)

Okay...forgive my ignorance, but what is Cosplaying?

Awesome pics y'all. I just find it fascinating, because in this country... Well, okay, in Northampton, MA, where I live (though I bounce around a lot), one could get away with dressing very strangely (though the style isn't quite THAT strange), as strange is our way of life, but in much of this country, such crazy styles would not be well tolerated. They meet opposition in Tokyo, but being "out there" can get your picture in fashion mags, and it can only take one person (non-celebrity) to start an all-out trend. I've gotta get me to Japan one of these days. I could spend most of a vacation people watching. [/i]

Hello All-- This may make me sound kinda wimpy, but oh well... I have yet to ride a dive coaster (Griffon, SheiKra and the like) or a rocket coaster (if that's the correct term for Top Thrill Dragster, Kingda Ka and the like). So my question is: What do they feel like? Could someone provide me with detailed descriptions of the experience and sensations? I'm going to Cedar Point on the Midwest trip, and I'm really, really nervous about TTD. I'm not 100% sure if I'm going to ride it at all, but I know that I tend to challenge myself and not let myself off easy when a coaster intimidates me. I'd also like to get to Busch Gardens Europe in the not-too-distant future, where I'll face the same quandary about Griffon. I figure that detailed accounts could help calm me down. Any help will be much appreciated. Thanks! --Vanessa

Hello All-- I thought that this might interest you, especially those who are going to Japan. Now, I normally pay very little attention to fashion (I'm a jeans and T-shirt kind of gal), but I was intrigued by photos of Japanese teenagers in wild dress that I saw--I think--in a TR. Yesterday I found a book called "Japanese Schoolgirl Inferno: Tokyo Teen Fashion Subculture Handbook" by Patrick Macias and Izumi Evers, illustrations by Kazumi Nonaka. It covers major teenage fashion trends in Tokyo and the suburbs from the late 1960s to today. In each section, there is an explanation of why the trend came about and how it influenced society. There are also photos, of course, as well as cute illustrations. Two of the stranger (and short-lived) trends are Gongoro, the Japanese version of blackface, and Kigurumin, where teenage girls would walk around in public dressed as cows, bears, kangaroos, and hamster costumes via cheap cloth costumes and character pajamas. So if this piques your interest, check it out.

Oh yes...I also LOVED the seagulls at Epcot. "Mine!"

Awww... I'm glad that KidTums is getting her first trip to Disney World so early. It took me forever to get there. (It also took me forever to grow a significant amount of hair...) I'm jumping in a bit late on "The Enchanted Tiki Room" discussion, but I just wanted to put in my two cents worth. I didn't see the original version. When my mom and I were in the MK last October, I was debating as to whether or not to bother with the Tiki Room. The deciding factor was that the heat was oppressive (in the 90s most of that week) and we desperately needed air conditioning. So it was a happy experience due to air conditioning! As for the show itself, yeah, I could have lived without Gilbert Gottfriend shouting at me. I enjoyed the singing birds before Iago came barging in, so I probably would have preferred the old show. MILF (love the abbreviation!) wasn't open yet, and I didn't even bother with Stitch. From what I'd heard, it wasn't worth my time.

Great TP! I love Hersheypark! I lived about two hours away from it growing up. I first visited it in 1986, and as I got older, it became the site of some roller coaster firsts for me. I was last there in 1999, so I'm dying to go back there. Of the coasters that were there in 1999, the only one I didn't like was Sidewinder. Wildcat didn't bother me, for some reason (and I wasn't in the front row). Trailblazer was the only non-kiddie coaster that I would go near until I was 14. It's very mild compared to what I've done since, but I make it a point to ride it when I visit, for old times' sake. My worst visit ever was in the later 80s or so. I visited with my dad, and along came a thunderstorm. We took shelter underneath a building near the Wave Swinger. Most of the rides had shut down, but they ran the Wave Swinger for a while in the pouring rain until they deemed it too dangerous due to lightning. At least it was entertaining to watch the crazy people swinging in the rain. Then the weather cleared. Then the storm came back, and we gave up. He did take me back on a later date to make up for it. Thanks Dad! Forgive the blasphemy of saying this on a roller coaster site, but I kinda miss the tranquility of riding the Sky View with the duck pond under it without The Great Bear roaring through. (Though I must admit that I enjoyed the coaster.) Oh, and the Peanut Butter Cup dolls were so funny...yet so disturbing...in other words, right up my alley.

Hi Erik-- Wow, you're brave. A Six Flags park packed with middle school bands strikes me as a vision of hell. But I guess that hell wouldn't have coasters...or Q-bot!

Oh, I forgot to mention...I wanna Muppet hat!

Hi Eric-- I'm glad y'all had a great time. I need to get to those parks again soon. When I'm visiting my mom in MD, I'm about an hour from SFA and several hours from BGE and PKD. I haven't been to BGE and PKD since 1998, and I haven't been to SFA since before it was a Six Flags. (It was Wild World in the 80s and Adventure World in the mid-nineties). I was down in MD during the TPR meet at SFA, but I didn't have home access to the internet, so I didn't know about it until after the fact. Grrr... Wild World is notable for being the site of my first--and thus far last--ride on a swinging pirate ship. I freaked out, but hey, I was six. Mind Eraser was my first SLC (at the then Adventure World), and I actually LIKED it. I wonder what I would think of it now that I have more to compare it to. Yeah, the old restraints on Flight of Fear made it awful. It was my worst roller coaster experience ever. I'm curious to experience it without the headache and whiplash. I'm also curious to ride Volcano. It was up and running when I was last there, but the line was long because it was brand new, and it kept breaking down. It looked intriguing. I will confess that dive coasters scare me (though not from experience), but maybe I should buy a Griffon bat, just in case I need it...

You picture of the people leaving Small World made me laugh. That would likely be my reaction. I won't go near Small World; I have my limits... Also, seeing you pout after the seagull grabbed your ice cream cone made me think "AWWWWW....Somebody needs a hug!". I'm glad you had a great time. Do come East again!

Excellent! You saw "DiVine!" When I was at the Animal Kingdom on the last day of my trip (not counting a traveling day), my friend who was down in Orlando on business joined my mom and me. At one point in the park, I came to rejoin my friend from somewhere else (I can't remember where) when I saw a crowd of people on the pathway. So I joined the group, and there she was--the moving vine! My friend informed me that he saw her when she first began to move after standing still, and it scared the crap out of him! We also found her to be quite fascinating... Also, I'll throw in my two cents and proclaim myself an "Animal Kingdom dork." Sure, it was the most crowded park of the four (on a weekday, in the off-season...lots of UK tourists on holiday, though), and it was hot, and my feet were really hurting by then. I was frustrated, but I also saw something special in the park. It's meant to have a different rhythm than the other parks, and it's not to everyone's taste, but under less crowded circumstances I could really enjoy it. I'd love to stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge for a few days. Perhaps this fall...

Hi Chuck-- I'm really enjoying your trip report and your enthusiasm for WDW. I recently (in mid-October 2006) had my first proper visit to WDW. (Background: As part of a school trip for a choir competition in 1996, we spent some time at the Magic Kingdom, but it wasn't enough time to do nearly what I wanted to do. We went to MGM as well, but solely for the competition's awards ceremony, which was held in the Indiana Jones theater. No rides. ). I had been planning it out in my head for ten years, and when it finally happened, it was more fantastic than I could have imagined. I felt like a kid again. I'm also glad to see that you took the time to visit "Walt Disney: One Man's Dream." My mom and I spent a good amount of time in there. I thought it was very well done. I look forward to seeing more.

Hi, I'm Vanessa. I currently divide my time between Northampton, MA and Frederick, MD. The closest theme park to me in MA is Six Flags New England. I've only been there once (cool coasters, but the park as a whole didn't impress me), but I plan to return this summer. I grew up in Frederick, and my mom still lives there. I went to Hersheypark a lot as a kid. I also went to Wild World (the closest park to us), which then became Adventure World, which now is Six Flags America. I have yet to see it in its Six Flags form. In my younger years, I adored Sesame Place. I haven't been there since 1991, but it still has a special place in my heart. My first adult coaster was the Trailblazer at Hersheypark, which was the only adult coaster that I would go near until I was fourteen. (I'm the only person in my family who enjoys coasters.) My first coaster with a significant drop was the Comet there. My first looping coaster was the sooperdooperlooper there. (Notice a trend?) My first coaster with more than one loop was the Mind Eraser at Adventure World. People say this coaster is horrible, but it didn't bother me. I actually enjoyed it! I've only been on Six Flags New England's Superman coaster once because...well...the height of the lift hill intimidated me. I don't like heights. Once a coaster gets going, I'm fine, because I'm going so fast that I hardly know where I am. I just have to get through the lift hills. My strategy involves staring straight ahead and not looking down, whatever I do. By way of illustration, this is what my friend and I said on Superman's lift hill: Me: I'm not looking down...I'm not looking down...I don't care if it's a nice view, I'm not looking down... My Friend (just as we're at the top of the hill about to drop): Oh sh@#. Then off we went... He loved it. I wasn't used to that much airtime, which made my stomach do flip-flops (which almost never happens to me on coasters). I wasn't sure what to make of it. Now I realize that I just need to get over this lift hill problem, since I do very much enjoy coasters. Next time, I'm throwing myself on Superman. I don't want to be a coaster wimp. Oh yes...Elissa, I have a half-sister named Elisa, except it's pronounced like "Lisa" with an "L" sound in front. She had a hell of a time getting people to pronounce it correctly. Anyway, I had a great time reading/ viewing trip reports here. You guys seem like a lot of fun, and I am FAR from easily offended. I'm not as innocent as I look. Okay, I know you can't see me on here, but trust me on this. Now I really really want to go to the European parks, particularly those in the Scandanavias and Germany (and most particularly the insane Bon Bon Land). Also Japan. Also...aw hell, I have a lot of places I have yet to go. I'll just travel vicariously with you until I get there.

Thanks for the responses. Lapbars sound SO much better. Maybe the park got a lot of complaints about the violent headbanging? Given this info, I'll give it another whirl when I return to PKD, whenever that is. I think I'm over the trauma of my first ride by now.

Hello all! My first post! As an introduction, I stumbled across this site and have since viewed a LOT of the trip reports. It helps to tide me over. I haven't ridden a huge number of coasters in the past several years, and just as I got a big interest in them again last year, the season was over in my neck of the woods. I'm posting because I've read a few mentions of "The Outer Limits: Flight of Fear" at PKD, and the mentions are positive. The last time I went to PKD was in 1998 as a "last hurrah" before going away to college. We rode all of the coasters save for the kiddie coaster, the Scooby Doo coaster, and Volcano (the latter had just opened, the line was huge, and it kept breaking down). Anaconda was a bit rough, but that was NOTHING compared to Flight of Fear. Flight of Fear was the WORST coaster that I had ever ridden (and keep in mind that two years earlier, I rode the Mind Eraser at what was then "Adventure World" and is now "Six Flags America"...and LIKED it). My clearest memory of Flight of Fear is of my head banging violently back and forth against the restraints. My friends and I staggered off dazed, with headaches, wondering what the hell just happened to us. So when I read positive impressions of it, I ask myself "Are we riding the same coaster?". I have heard that Flight of Fear was shut down for a time and is now open again (?), though I'm unsure of the time frame. Did they retool this? Improve this? Did we ride the same coaster?! I'm perplexed. Insights? Great site, by the way! Keep it up!