robbalvey

One for each should probably be sufficient. If it's busy at the parks we DO recommend getting the Flash Pass!

I have searched the internet for any signs of Eurostar operating at Oktoberfest in 2014 and absolutely nothing comes up. No photos, videos, reports of it, people talking about it, etc. If it was there you'd find at least some trace of it, so I'm going to assume it's still MIA since 2011.

lol you're right. There's so many coaster games in development now, it's hard not to mix them up. This is a VERY good problem to have! lol

Went to Flower & Garden today. Here's a little video we put together along with some accompanying photos. Enjoy! Photos by Robb Alvey & Jack Crouse Another year of Flower & Garden and it really keeps getting better every year!!! Elissa was a super huge fan of this topiary! See! I of course loved this one! And I was also quite fond of this as well! Lots of garden exhibits set up all over the park. Festival Center open weekends! Yay! New exclusive MagicBand! Yay! New exclusive MagicBand WITH Anna & Elsa! This might be my new favorite band! And I love that it does cool differently colored glowey lights when you come in the park! (Watch the video!) Want one of these Olaf rain meters!!! Elissa wants this. Mickey gnome is always cool. Love the new spring fashions for the girls! This is a good year for Flower & Garden merch! Hey look! My ex-boss! lol Epcot really does look beautiful this time of year! I wonder if our Japanese blogger friends want any of these guys? And yes! The food is BACK this year! Love that they expanded Flower & Garden to include food booths a few years back. We sampled lots of delicious stuff today. Veggie Quesadilla was a thumbs up! Jack inhaled whatever that thing was! Something a bit Asian you're looking for? Kung Pao Chicken bun was amazing! Timone and Pumba just hanging out. King of the Jungle! Menu from the Florida Fresh Booth! See! I told you! "Anyone wanna try my tart?" Kinda diggin' the Snow White & Seven Dwarfs topiaries! Something Italian? Yes, Please! Yum! Woody is keep guard at the Smokehouse. Yes, you are reading that correct... "Maple, Pretzel, and Bacon Cupcake!!!" Yes! It's back! And it's fantastic! Lots of good beer here, too! We recommend all of this! Now there's a guy who really knows how to handle his sausage! Japanese! My favorite! Pink sushi for the win! How about something Middle Eastern? Elissa said the Falafel pocket was her favorite of the day! It all sounds sooooo good! Hanging out in France... With a Beast... And an alarm clock! lol Good 'ol Capt. Hook! We spotting this guy Disneybounding as "Boy Alice!" Creative, slightly disturbing maybe, but totally fun! Gotta love all the floral displays all over the park. Monsters U play area! And the kids are playing! More gardeny stuff... Butterfly farm is one of my favorite features of the event! I try not to let them escape! lol A little nod to the upcoming Pixar movie, Inside Out. These plants bring me lots of joy! So sad.... Sequel to Angry Birds perhaps? Or maybe a mash-up "Angry Plants Vs Zombies?" Let's go check out some Cars! Git 'er done! All the topiaries look so good! The sorcerer! Or is it the "author?" I hear they are very different people. (Thanks, Blue!) Heading out of Epcot for the day... I love this event and we will be back many times between March 4 to May 17, 2015!

^ That is correct!

So yesterday we got a sneak preview of Busch Gardens Adventure Island's newest slide - Colossal Curl! For those of you who have been to Busch Gardens Williamsburg's water park you might recognize this ride, and it's GREAT! Was so happy to see Busch partner once again with ProSlide for another one of their multi-feature slides that is full of fun and thrills! Colossal Curl, along with the drops and twists that traditional slides have includes two fantastic features. A mini-funnel and a half-pipe style element, and both are totally fun and scream inducing! The photos and video can speak to them better than any text can so check them out! As far as the park itself goes, I have always liked Adventure Island...a LOT and it's nice to see them introducing new attractions as it's been since 2006's Riptide was the last time the park added a new slide. It was worth the wait! Colossal Curl is a blast! Photos & Video: Photos & Video by Robb Alvey, Jack Crouse, and Adventure Island. Here are the 2015 prices for Adventure Island! We are in the right place! An overview of Colossal Curl. Hanging out with these Colossal Curly dudes! The signage and everything looks bright and fun! The funnel is the first of it's two feature elements... ...and it does this to you! The half-pipe thingy is the other one... ...and it does this. I happen to *LOVE* ProSlide and their Cloverleaf raft is one of my favorite water slide ride vehicles that they produce. "I AM READY TO RIDE!!!" So how is Colossal Curl to ride? It makes you look like this! lol And this! Somewhere under all that water is the people!!! Flattering photo for sure! (TPR is not responsible for any therapy needed after viewing this update) Busch Gardens General Manager Jim Dean is proud of his park's newest attraction. "Hey Jim...wanna go for a ride?" "But I don't have my swim suit!" "Doesn't matter!!!" lol Jim and the park management team take a ride, first bump, balalalalala, and love it! "Hey Jim...you're a little wet!" Serious amounts of fun to be had on Colossal Curl! Here's another overview of the ride. Adventure island just does so many things right that you don't see a lot of other water park do. These streams run through certain parts of the park and you can walk in them to help keep your feet from burning up when it's super Florida hot outside! They have a nice mix of old-school and more modern slides. The park opened in 1980 and it's nice to see some of the older slides remain, but they don't last forever and it's great to see the park also updating it's attractions! And don't forget that with Busch Gardens right next door, you can go from the family thrills of Colossal Curl.... To Cheetah Hunt! Hope you guys enjoy your day at both parks!

^ We are discussing Soarin' in the Epcot Discussion Thread.

Dates announced for Halloween Horror Nights 25: ORLANDO, Fla. (March 5, 2015) – By day, guests at Universal Orlando Resort are propelled into some of pop culture’s most iconic and beloved stories – laughing as they experience cutting-edge attractions and screaming as they brave plummeting roller coasters. But there’s another, darker side to Universal Orlando. On select nights in September and October, guests sprint away in paralyzing fear. They scream uncontrollably. Their nightmares come to life at Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights. Now, guests can be among the first to book a vacation package that combines the excitement of Universal Orlando’s two world-class theme parks by day and heart-pumping horror of Halloween Horror Nights by night. Consistently ranked the nation’s best, Halloween Horror Nights is the ultimate Halloween event, attracting guests from around the world. From the moment guests step inside the event’s gates, they become a victim inside their own horror film. The streets of Universal Studios Florida are transformed into highly-themed scare zones, brought to life with elaborate scenery and teams of menacing “scare-actors” that lunge from the shadows and tactically hunt guests as prey. Multiple haunted houses are erected throughout the theme park, rivaling the most detailed and terrifying of movie sets. Once inside, guests shriek their way through an unpredictable, multi-sensory labyrinth based on anything from iconic slasher films to hit horror video games to haunting original stories created by Universal’s Entertainment team. This fall, Halloween Horror Nights will mark its milestone 25th year as the biggest, longest and most intense in event history. It will run for a record-breaking 30 nights, including the following event dates: · Sept. 18-19, 24-25, 26-27 · Oct. 1-4, 7-11, 14-18, 21-25, 28-31 · Nov. 1 Details about the newly-announced Halloween Horror Nights 25 Hotel & Ticket Package are available below. Additional details about the event will be announced at a later date. For more information, visit http://www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com/Orlando.

Yeah, I figured that some people were just jumping to conclusions. Many times on projects like these, things aren't always as they seem. And someone just "taking pictures" and making assumptions never will have the full information of why certain things happen. I see stuff like this on projects all the time. It's not out of the ordinary.

Ouch my first tpr smack down. Wasn't meaning to imply anything is wrong with i305. The coaster is beautifully engineered chaos unleashed that will make you black out. My #1 steel. I would ride it all day if I could. After visiting kd with friends a few times however I noticed that my friends loved i305, but could only handle so much. Half of them quit after 2-3 rides. Intamin certainly kbows how to make rides that will make you brag about getting your A$$ kicked. I've seen some of my friends respond to coasters like el toro, skyrush, and i305 as "that was so intense and good but I can't ride again." I've heard many of my non enthusiast friends say they prefer nitro over el toro cause it's so fun. Maybe my friends are weak? It's quite possible they are just pussies. You need better friends. It's also not a "bad" thing when you have a ride so intense you need a break. It's like needing a cigarette after amazing sex. One day you'll understand.

What? You really think that Twisted Colossus will be more intense than the rock climbing wall? OMG! THE ROCK CLIMBING WALL!!!!! This list makes zero sense... "Hey little Johnny....Do you want to do the rock climbing wall or that 400 foot free fall tower? They are the same level of intensity."

Welcome to Central Florida!!! Seriously though, if you are ever back in Florida again, look into the "Flex Pass" - It usually last 14 days and gives you unlimited visits to BGT, SeaWorld, Universal, and sometimes some other add-ons. It's makes your visit to these parks MUCH more reasonable!

I really don't think the trim cuts off as much speed as you think. The trim may not have even been activated on the test run. The helix comes directly after the airtime hill-- helices shave off a lot more speed than hills, combined with the fact that this helix is absolutely massive. Is it possible that the trim is there to act like a sensor? Perhaps once the train passes the trim the next train can be dispatched without E-stopping the train on the lift? The trim looks like it didn't do much, and is probably only there if the ride is really hauling. I think Fury 325 is gonna be a huge hit for Carowinds. I'm assuming you're talking about this one... All I can say is that I've never been on a B&M that has one of these trims where you couldn't feel it. Leviathan has TWO of these in fact... And you can most certainly feel each one. That's not to say it's going to cut down any enjoyment of the ride, and if anything, be happy there is only ONE of them on this coaster! Oh, what a load of bullshit. You say that like it's a "bad" thing. The GP eats that ride up like there is no tomorrow! Just go read the comments on our YouTube video. I've been at the park when the ride breaks down and people freak the hell out. And remember when the ride was down for a couple of months a few summers ago? KD's Facebook page was on FIRE with people wanting to know when it was back open. So don't try and imply that there is anything wrong with I305 because it kicks people ass across the state of Virginia.

Here's the new rendering! Enjoy!

Just got an email from Jeffrey at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. This is what he said: Hope that answers it!

We nearly did it several times, but every time there just ended up being some excuse why we couldn't. Next time...for SURE!

Also, the owners of the Skyscraper have told me to expect a few changes and from what it sounds like, the ride is actually getting bigger from what was original in the concept videos.

CtM is seriously one of my favorite things on property! It's just such a cool show from a technical stance, it's entertaining, and it includes clips from some of my favorite Disney films. I also just love how accessible it is. We have literally walked up *seconds* before the show started, and stood right in front of the castle! Just make sure you always see the show AFTER Wishes, otherwise it can be a nightmare with the crowd who are really there to see the Fireworks.

I *think* you can go in and get your lanyard before your visit, but for questions like this I'd say just give them a call or drop them an email.

Do you love dolphins, sharks, sting rays, and other marine life? They you NEED to visit Discovery Cove in Orlando! Part of the SeaWorld Orlando family of parks, Discovery Cove is a more 'exclusive' private resort with limited daily attendance and some of the most unique encounters you'll find in Orlando. The park offers two options - either including the dolphin swim or just visiting the park, both options are all inclusive. While the pricing may give you a sticker shock at first ($259 - $379 with the dolphin swim, and about $199 - $259 without depending on the time of year), let me tell you what the pricing does get you: - Unlimited Admission to Discovery Cove AND the SeaWorld Orlando family of parks for several days before or after your visit (depending on time of year it's usually at least a week to 14 days) - Breakfast & Lunch - all you can eat - Drinks including alcohol (beer, wine, and specialty frozen drinks) - High quality snacks (Planters Trail mix, chips, soft pretzels, fresh cookies, etc) - Complimentary family photo - Unlimited use of an of the water attractions (Grand Reed, Fresh Water Oasis, Aviary, etc) - And depending on the ticket options you choose, it will include your dolphin encounter and/or SeaVenture Discovery Cove is easily the most unique experience in all of Orlando and we highly recommend it! It's like a high-end resort destination right in the middle of all the crazy theme park world that is Orlando! Here's a quick little video of our dolphin encounter and swimming with the fishes! Check this out: Here we are at Discovery Cove! Let's go check it out! Your day starts with getting your personalized admission card and a lanyard, which will also give you access to SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica for the length of your visit. I also LOVE the plastic park map they give you! We are all here and ready to swim with the fishes! Seriously, this is such a great idea! Small little park map that can't get destroyed in the water! Kristen's first visit to Discovery Cove! You can tell she's excited! Can you believe we are still even in Orlando!??!? We are all wet-suited up and ready to swim! We highly recommend the upcharge cabanas at Discovery Cove. Great place to store your items, comes with concierge service, and even more unlimited food, drinks and more! And here we are! The view from our cabana was amazing! Get to watch all the Dolphin encounters! Our cabana includes a hammock, awesome seating... ...and a fridge full of drinks! It's time for dolphin training class! Emily gives us the scoop on what we are about to experience in the dolphin pool. Here is one of the three dolphin pools at Discovery Cove. We got to hang out with Capricorn, the oldest dolphin in captivity and the largest that SeaWorld has. This guy is nearly 50 years old! In the wild, they only live to be about 20. Capricorn is also a movie star! He was in Jaws 3 and played the role of one of the dolphins that saved the families at the end of the film! Capricorn didn't mind us tickling him! Kristen goes for her dolphin swim! Capricorn is certainly getting his workout today! "You want me to do what???" "Just give her a kiss!" Cindy the dolphin came out for kisses! Kristen loved hanging out with the dolphins! As you can see, they were excited for her to be there, too! The dolphins liked Kristen, but they put up with Robb! "Don't worry Cindy, this won't hurt a bit!" "Got to kiss a hot girl at Discovery Cove!" You know, just hanging out with the dolphins! Capricorn is all "I don't get fed enough fish for this!!!" lol Kristen really LOVED the entire encounter! The trainers were amazing and were encyclopedia's of knowledge about the dolphins. And of course we got to watch the dolphins have a bit of fun as well! Lynne was FANTASTIC! Thank you for all the info and everything you do with these animals! Now it was time to go swimming with the fishes in the Great Reef! Yup, both of us about to go in. Kristen was having an awesome time as this was the first time she's gotten to do something like this. Thank you to the underwater GoPro for capturing some amazing images! The sea creatures were so much fun to swim with! We stayed in here for over an hour! Hey, look! A cowfish! I hear these guys make GREAT "burgushi!" Stingrays either about to kiss or go on a turf battle! You decide! "Hey, Elissa, why don't you join us?" Was so much fun swimming around seeing the variety of fish in the reef. Kristen put her hand out and many of them would swim right up to her. And yes, this is the area where you can swim with the sharks! (on the other side of the glass, of course!) More stingrays, more fish! Here is the lunch menu, again all food, beverage and snacks is all included in the price of the admission. And the food was fantastic! The pulled pork was amazing! All this is 100% included! And yes, unlimited beer! Checking out the Wind Away River which is kind of the "lazy river" part of the park. It's more than your typical water park lazy river though, it's more of an 'adventure river!' Let's see what else we can find in here. Oooh! We have found the Explorer's Aviary, which is part of the river! Hello bird, how's it going? Not sure what these guys are, but they are super cool! Love exploring the river! Now off to the Fresh Water Oasis! The otters were amazing! They were gathering leaves for some sort of nest! They would come out for a moment, say hello, and then gather more! The marmosets were cool! Here is the habitat they live in. You can get very close and they are separated from the guests with the moat around their enclosure. Here is one of their homes. But you can get close enough to get some awesome photos! "What are you looking at???" Our little dolphin trainer in training! Oh, did we mention... unlimited Shamu bars!!! Yesss!!!! I loved that they had charms for all the dolphins for their charm bracelets! This was an awesome souvenir that Kristen picked out! You are VERY welcome Discovery Cove!!! We love this park and we will absolutely be back for more!

On behalf of the American people, you are welcome.

Yup, I have a copy of it!

So from the makers of The Santa Claw and the awesome Teletype Machine comes something new! Check this out: http://www.makemeflinch.com

Since we haven't lived in California for four years now, you probably should post this same question in the SFMM discussion forum.

Was at the park last night to see the other half of it. The whole area looks FANTASTIC! I went and I touched the grass and it seemed just fine. I think I'd rather have it be astro-turf than real grass anyway because real grass ends up just being more 'dirty' and kind of gross. Here's a few pics from last night: Fountain 1: Fountain 2: Here's a few more pics: For those of you complaining the other night, yes the sign has been fixed. Have some faith in Disney!!! And a few more random pics because... why not? POW! Ooooh! Space Mountain lights on!!! Ooooh! I have new found appreciation for this! Got to meet the girls!!! Love walking around the parks when they are this empty!