robbalvey

^ Please stop talking. Seriously. I have no patience for this bullshit.

Maybe if you read the last few pages? The whole point was how the Alton Towers fanboys have been hyping this up to be something special (launched lift hill, some sort of secret element, the whole 'washing machine' mentality all over again, etc...) but really this just looks like your average sized GCI woodie with nothing special at all. And you're right, if this turns out to be a fun family coaster, there is nothing wrong with that. The negativity wasn't really towards the ride itself, but all the fanboys making it out to be something more than it is.

^ Yeah, I mean, I have to be honest, the first time I ever saw this amazing sight right here... If someone were to have said to me "You know, in about 15 years this will be the world's first defunct B&M" there is no way in hell I would have ever believed them. *sigh* I really hope Universal knows what they are doing...

Even Tom Cruise is confused... Actually, I'm sure that happens with him a lot...

Clearly you don't understand that attendance figures is not synonymous with "guest satisfaction." Please go take "Theme Parks 101" and then come back when you are more educated to speak on the subject. Thank you. Edit: I sort of love it when Elissa and I are in two different rooms basically typing the same thing at the same time!

I'm not sure what you are trying to say here, but it sounds like you're being insulting, and I'd quit while you're ahead because I have zero patience for Alton Towers fanboys.

Let's not forget this is the same park that marketed an extended Roller Skater with a drop track as the world's most scariest psychological ride so intense that younger and older people would not be allowed to ride. And the fanboys blindly bought into that hype! http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/new-alton-towers-thrill-ride-436455 Yeah, we all know how that turned out! If Alton Towers could just be more *honest* with their rides, I'd have more respect for them. Thirteen was actually a really great "family ride" like their take on Big Thunder Mountain, but they pretty much said that younger and older guests basically might die if they ride it, it's so scary. Which was just a complete lie. I really hope they don't do the same thing with this family ride, but we shall see...

They absolutely do. Especially the Alton Towers fanboys. I feel like they are constantly at war with the Efteling fanboys to see who can be the most obnoxious, over-hyping, and annoying theme park enthusiasts in Europe. But they both better look out! Apparently the Phantasialand fanboys are also on the rise after that last Taron outbreak!

Here's the video from Star Trek Operation Enterprise at Movie Park Germany:

Here's the front seat POV of Taron that we shot:

Ray Rush Coming to Aquatica Orlando in 2018 NEW FAMILY RAFT SLIDE OFFERS THREE-IN-ONE THRILLS FOR GUESTS OF ALL AGES ORLANDO, Fla. (October 12, 2017) – A brand-new family raft slide is splashing into Aquatica, SeaWorld’s Waterpark in spring 2018. Ray Rush promises to be a fully-loaded water adventure which will combine three unique slide elements, never before seen at Aquatica, into one action-packed attraction the entire family can enjoy together. [fbvideonew] [/fbvideonew] At nearly 60 feet tall, Ray Rush is where family and friends can take on three exciting thrills as they slide, splash and soar like never before. First, riders will be launched at 33 feet per second with water jets designed to propel rafts into the first of several enclosed tube sections. Next, riders will swirl into a colossal translucent sphere which spins the raft around the slide walls before entering another enclosed tube section. Finally, riders will drop into an open-air halfpipe that resembles the shape of a manta ray. Rafts will soar back and forth on the wings of the manta before entering the final enclosed tube section that ends with a splash. “Ray Rush will offer a ride experience you won’t be able to get anywhere else in Florida. Aquatica will be the first waterpark in the state to combine these three unique elements into one attraction” said Cathy Valeriano, Aquatica Orlando vice president. “Ray Rush is the perfect addition to our attraction portfolio, complementing what is already one of the most family-friendly waterslide lineups in Orlando.” Ray Rush will have a height requirement of 42” to appeal to families with children and will accommodate up to four riders per raft. The new slide will be located on the north side of the park next to Walkabout Waters. In order to make way for the new attraction, HooRoo Run will close permanently on October 31, 2017. To accommodate construction, Walhalla Wave will temporarily close on this date and re-open in spring 2018 alongside Ray Rush. For a limited-time, Aquatica Pass Members will receive a one-time Quick Queue to ride both HooRoo Run and Walhalla Wave on select days in October before construction begins in November. The best way to experience Aquatica is with an Aquatica Orlando Annual Pass. For a limited-time, Florida residents can purchase an Aquatica Orlando Annual Pass for only $10 per month with EZpay. Aquatica Pass Members enjoy unlimited admission and free parking as well as discounts and the opportunity to be among the first to ride Ray Rush when it opens in spring 2018. For more information, visit AquaticaOrlando.com. Assemble your squad and get ready to turn up the fun at Aquatica in 2018. Get the latest Ray Rush updates by following Aquatica on Facebook and the SeaWorld Blog. Join the #RayRush conversation using #SplashSquad2018.

Just added Video of "Halloween Hootenanny" to the original post above.

Yes, that thing. Like a Bobkart but running on an actual track. That reminds me I have an AMAZING Bobkart video to post from Skyline park! The other thing... not so much!

Oh god, this thing??? Yeah that ride was not amazing...

^ What is a Mauer Spike system?

I added the video for "Dark Ride" to the original post above.

Oh the TR hasn't even really started yet! Lots more photos to share! I enjoyed the area and Taron very much! The coaster might have been a *little* overhyped and while it's not my favorite at the park, we really REALLY enjoyed it and can't wait to go back and give it another ride! Winjas is still my personal favorite ride at Phantasialand.

Yes, and no! It's a great way to try different foods & drinks, and when you find one you like, you can keep going back as much as you want!

I've been to several big fairs in Germany, UK, Spain, France, etc over the years. While I have enjoyed each one of them, the only one I would really go out of my way to visit is Oktoberfest. Fairs in general just do not have that great of interest to me. The only caveat would be that if a major ride like Olympia Looping (Read mostly likely ONLY Olympia Looping) happened to be set up at a fair we happened to be near and it didn't impact something else we were doing. I'm not a huge "flat ride" person and I can more than happily get my fill during Oktoberfest.

Never been, but to be honest, hitting multiple fairs really isn't my thing. We hit Oktoberfest once every few years and that pretty much fills my personal quota for giant European fairs.

Tonight we attended one of Epcot's "Party for the Senses" Food & Wine events. The official event information can be found here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/epcot/food-wine-party-for-senses/ Basically, the easiest way to describe this event is "high end Epcot Food & Wine Festival." This event takes place only 4 or 5 times during the Food & Wine Festival, often times it has a theme, other times it is a collection of higher-end food & alcohol offerings than what you get around World Showcase. There are different tiers for the event pricing, and new this year is the 'everyone has a seat' options meaning that instead of the venue having various tables & high-tops for people to mingle at, everyone will be assigned a seat, and this seems to have been very positively received. The food itself is just wonderful! We had celebrity chefs, Disney high-end resort dining chefs and some of the best from Food & Wine. The items served during Party for the Senses are very different from the rest of Food & Wine and often times are exclusive to that one evening! Here's a few photos of the fun we had from the event... Tonight we are Walt Disney World Epcot attending a Party for the Senses event! Just in case you forgot what the event was called (there's a lot of alcohol...it happens!) We have only just sat down and we already have food! Just had a delicious rabbit taco from Hell's Kitchen season 5 contestant Chef Paula Dasilva! I don't normally eat little cute bunnies, but when I do, I prefer them in tacos! NYC Graffiti Restaurant owner & Next Iron Chef runner-up Jehangir Mehta is here serving a wonderful Wasabi Avocado Duck! YUM! This thing was spicy & wonderful! This right here is Beef Nigiri Sushi and it was seriously AMAZING! Wow!!! The grapefruit beer is featured at the Party For The Senses and I love it! One of my favorite "adult beverages" at WDW! Chef Terry Letson's short ribs melted in your mouth! Because coffee is always better when you add that Disney touch! That is a red velvet donut with bacon and peach cobbler. Both fantastic! Party For The Senses makes great use of the event venue between Canada & UK Pavilions at Epcot. The food, wine, desserts, & atmosphere at PartyForTheSenses was all wonderful and high-end! We strongly recommend this event! And yes, we were even able to take home this cool Epcot 35 wine glass! We strongly recommend this event! Be sure to check out the website for more details: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/epcot/food-wine-party-for-senses/

Oh good! Last I had heard Hollenblitz was coming this year instead of Olympia Looping but it's nice to see that Looping is coming back. Who knows, maybe they'll get both?

OK guys, I've now had to remove even more posts because continuing to make obnoxious posts about Darren's initial comments doesn't actually help anything. That being said, going off his most recent information posted he DOES have a valid point. Not having your ride restrictions made available is, IMO, also "not cool." And I would be equally as frustrated if we brought a group of people to a park where we checked ride restrictions outside the park and made a decision to enter based on those restrictions, and then found out later after paying that the group couldn't ride and there were no refunds. I think that is more the issue Darren is trying to make here, and I have also had similar frustrations in our China travels. For those if you who want to continue making obnoxious comments about anything else, I think you need to move on. We have many other threads here on TPR that you should focus on instead.

Here is a compilation of the roller coasters we rode at Oktoberfest:

No one here is disagreeing with you on the Idiocracy of some policies put into place in China. Even posters we have on our site who are native Chinese agree with many of the things you mentioned. We also have no problem at all with you airing frustrations with those policies (I share some of the same frustrations you have.) All we ask is that you choose your words so they don't come off blatantly racist, even if you don't mean to be as harsh as you were sounding. That's all. I hope that's not asking too much as we do enjoy the trip reports.