robbalvey

Carowinds has just sent over a couple of publicity photos from the opening of thier new Happy Days restaurant. They actually got Tom Bosley and Marion Ross from the TV show for the opening. Wow, have they aged!!! :shock: Anyway, here's the photos: "Happy Days" is one of America's most popular TV sitcoms of all time and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Tom Bosley (Center) and Marion Ross (far right) were on hand at Paramount's Carowinds on Thursday to help celebrate the grand opening of the new Happy Days Diner. The duo portrayed Mr. and Mrs. C. in the much-loved television series "Happy Days" for 11 se

^ The BMW was my "Hollywood Producer" car when I was working at MGM. I grew out of that phase REAL quick, thankfully! --Robb "I quickly realized how STUPID all these *L.A.* people looked and it wasn't until two years later that I was able to get rid of it!" Alvey

I've had a laundry list of cars, mainly because I always put hundreds of thousands of miles on them, so here goes (photos are not my actual cars...) My first car (A hand-me-down)1984 Toyota Corolla Hatchback 1989 Toyota Corolla Coupe 1995 BMW 325i 1998 Toyota Tacoma 1999 Toyota Corolla 1999 Toyota Sienna 2001 Toyota Echo 2004 Toyota Corolla (Elissa's car) 2005 Toyota Corolla --Robb "So yeah....a new Toyota every couple of years..." Alvey

Interesting. I used to really like James Bond movies a lot, but ever since I had to work on James Bond video games, I just can't watch them anymore. --Robb "The magic wore off!" Alvey

^ LOL! Damn.... --Robb "Oh, well...at least I have memories of the good 'ol smooth days..." Alvey

^ What is your overall park schedule for your CA trip? What parks do you plan on doing on what days? Let me know so I can give you much better advice! --Robb

KENNYWOOD Phantom's Revenge: B Exterminator: B+ Thunder Bolt: C+ Jack Rabbit: A- Racer: B+ Overall, I think Kennywood has a SOLID collection of coasters. I personally never "got" Thunderbolt and always found the other two woodies better, but that's just me. And for whatever reason, I've gotten some of the BEST spinning mouse rides EVER on Exterminator! DORNEY PARK Talon: C- Steel Force: C+ with the trims on B with them off. Thunder Hawk: B- (Could be an A- if it wasn't for the damn trims!) Laser: B+ Wild Mouse: D Dorney's another park with a lot of coasters that I never really feel the need to go on more than once. In their defense, however, none of them are really "bad", well except for the overbraked, horribly operated mouse, they just aren't really all that "great," Thunderhawk could very well be an A caliber coaster if it didn't have those trims, though. IMO, would be right up there with Wild One at SFA. Talon is still my least favorite of all the B&M inverts I've been on though. HERSHEY PARK Storm Runner: A Great Bear: B- Roller Soaker: B+ Comet: C (again, could be an A if it wasn't for the trims) Sooperdooperlooper: C Lightning Racer: B- Wildcat: A- in the very front, D anywhere else. Trailblazer: C- Wild Mouse: B- Hershey is an odd mix. Overall, I like this park a LOT! But since I'm not *that* into GCI's woodies, and the Comet would be right up there with the Phoenix, IMO, if it didn't have that horrible trim. For whatever reason, I really like Great Bear more than most other people do. And Roller Soaker is just a flat out fun as hell ride as long as you don't have to wait in line. One of the nights we were there last year, it was still like 80 degrees out, but there was no line, and we went round and round on the thing and had a GREAT time! It's too bad about Wildcat, because I still think it's one of the best woodies out there, and probably my favorite GCI....in the front seat only....anywhere else is seems rough as hell! Storm Runner is still my favorite out of all the Intamin rockets so far, so Hershey, IMO, has a pretty damn solid collection of coasters. --Robb

^ So it's still rough? :? That's a bummer. Considering how smooth it was during it's opening year. --Robb "Who here has been on who can report about the rough/smoothness of it?" Alvey

^ Unfortunatley, it looks like we won't see you before Mirabilandia. I just had to change our Silver Dollar City trip to the weekend of May 1st. Although Dan will still be in town! Email him at MrT0ad13@aol.com to set up a meeting time! Sorry! --Robb "See you in Italy!" Alvey

Anyone else think this thread screams "Close me?" --Robb "Let's just all wait for an official announcement...or at least for track to start showing up somewhere!" Alvey

Awesome. I'm honored! --Robb

^ So who is this 'know it all' who seems to have the secret info on the project? --Robb

So Rock IM's me today with the most bizarre looking thing I've seen. How have I never heard of this bizarre mutation of the Ultra Twister coaster!!! http://drkssk.fc2web.com/zekkyou/rusutsu/ultra/ul.html :shock: :shock: :shock: Next time in Japan we are totally going here!!!!! --Robb "Togo Enthusiast!" Alvey

My job has been discussed to death here: http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=187 --Robb

I also think that PTC's seem to track much better. I do, however, don't mind the Gerstlauer's as much since they've made some changes to the restraints so you don't kill your legs. When I coaster seems to be running decent with Gerstlauer's, it's just as good as any coaster running decent with PTC's. Villain, MegaZeph, and Legend in their first couple years of operation are good examples. My last rides on Villain, though were VERY rough. I don't know if that was due to the trains, the lack of maintenance, or both. I would prefer PTC's over Gerstlauer's, but if it's a ride that is in good condition, I'll take either! On another note, oddly enough, I really liked the Vekoma trains that were on Robin Hood and Loup Garou more than I thought I would! --Robb

I would reccomend one day at SFMM and one day at Knott's. When are you planning to be here? Over a weekend or a weekday? Personally, SFMM has a lot of coasters, but not a lot of quality coasters. Batman, Scream, Riddler's, Ninja, Superman, and Goliath are all our favorites. You'll probably want to do X, which isn't a problem, but make sure you get to the park EARLY! And do mean EARLY! Like be at the park by 9am so you can be first in line. Knott's on the other hand has fewer coasters, and if you are there on a weekend, for example on a Sunday, it is possible for you to spend 10am - 2pm at Knott's and get on everything, then be back at SFMM by 4pm and stay there another 4 hours if you need to. That's my reccomendation! --Robb

It's quality over quantity. In Florida you have Dueling Dragons, Hulk, Kumba, Montu, Mummy, Kraken, Hurricane. All are "A" caliber coasters. On top of that you have the better Tower of Terror, Test Track, MiB, Spiderman, Jurassic Park, Journey to Atlantis, and the list goes on. California may have more coasters, but they don't have anything that matches up. There isn't a floorless that's better than Kraken, there isn't an invert that's better than Dragons or Montu, there isn't a sit down better than Kumba or Hulk, there isn't a woodie better than Dania Beach Hurricane, etc. IMO, the only coasters in California that are "A" Caliber are XLR8R and California Screamin. What else is really THAT outstanding? --Robb "I'd rather be at the parks in Florida any day over California." Alvey

^ Is SFOG too far away? For $15 more than a one day ticket to Visionland you can get a SFOG season pass. If I recall it takes about two hours to get from Visionland to SFOG. I mean, SFMM is two hours away for people in most of Los Angeles due to traffic! --Robb

So does it seem right that Visionland is $34.95 for both parks, when someplace like Dorney is only $32.95? I think I'd much rather ride Dorney's selection of coasters and water slides over Visionlands! I really think Visionland is WAY over priced. --Robb "Just a thought...." Alvey

Sound like you had a really good time. I sometimes helps when you haven't been to USH in a long time! Part of the problem I have with that park is that there just isn't enough to do on return visits. I mean, I think it's a really nice park and really well run, 2nd to Disney in So Cal. We have our "buy a day, get a year free...." passes, and it's a park we probably go to a couple of times a year, but don't usually stay more than a couple of hours. I think if they had one or two more "A" rides, like Spiderman and MiB that place could really kick ass!!! Oddly enough, I'm kind of wanting to go back there... --Robb

^ LOL! Yeah. Now if the GeoDuck appears on Fear Factor you KNOW they are reading TPR! --Robb

Age: 35 Middle Name: Lee Pet Peeve: Living in California Color of your bathroom: Hot Pink with a splash of Mauve. Best Movie of ALL time: Clerks, The Sure Thing, Office Space Best Song of ALL time: Insanity Best TV Shows: Fraggle Rock Favorite Band/Artist: Rubber Favorite Ride at Disney Parks: Tower of Terror (MGM), Test Track, America Sings Yummiest Ice Cream: Chubby Hubby If you could eat lunch with one person, who would it be: The guy that named "Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo" Morning Person or Night Person: Night person Pets: Elissa Favorite Color: Black Where you would go for fun (not an amusement park): White Castle Coke or Pepsi: Coke Opinion about Peanut Butter and Jelly: Hershey's miniatures dipped in peanut butter....YUM!!!! Best Vacation Spot: My wife's....oh...wait...PG-13, sorry. Cook or Go Out: Eat Out....errr...I mean go out...yeah..that's it! Beach, Desert, or Mountains: Mountains

Mine was an '82 Buick Skylark that I bought for $400. And it wasn't even worth that. Here is the rundown of cars I have had for the past 14 years. '82 Buick Skylark '82 Toyota Tercel (This was actually a good car) '91 Ford Escort GT '93 Toyota Tercel '91 Chevy Blazer (Best Car I ever owned) '02 Ford Focus (POS) '01 Kia Sephia (at the same time as the Focus) '02 Ford Escape (got rid of the Focus) Currently have: '03 Kia Spectra (Got rid of the Sephia) '03 Ford Focus (another POS, I'm done with Ford after this one) Gregg "We are looking into the Toyota Hybrids within the next year" C.

^ That was my thought exactly. I remember walking up to Sledgehammer going "OMG, that thing looks BAD ASS!!!!!" then riding it and thinking it was pretty tame. Just look at the video and you can hear us in line thinking it looks amazing! It was a fun ride, but nothing that made me want to rush around to get back in line. --Robb

That's exactly it. --Robb "Was hoping it would be the next Kumba, but it looks more like the next Silver Bullet." Alvey