robbalvey

Honestly, why are people even coming on our forum and trying to argue that vertical video is "ok?" How dumb can you be? And considering the volume of responses we got on social media today saying things like "THANK YOU for posting that!" when we asked people to help spread the word about not recording vertical video so that the world stops looking so stupid, I have to think that we aren't wrong: Facebook: Twitter: Seriously, when people on social media channels say how much they HATE vertical video, and those are the channels that you see it on the most, these are the people i'm going to listen to. I'm not sorry this thread got derailed, although I'm actually not sure what's more depressing, discussing innocent people being injured on a ride or the fact that humanity is quickly going into the shitter and stupidity is becoming an acceptable "norm." Both are pretty sucky and horrible, IMO.

This post is so incredibly stupid my brain is unable to properly construct a response because it is not capable to think in such a ridiculous way that a rational thought could be posted. Instead I'll just post this video clip from Billy Madison.... or maybe you'd prefer this.... or maybe even this? Do you honestly not see how insanely fucking stupid that looks?!?!?!

I'm not calling you dumb, except I am and I just did. Just like no matter how many times you say you're not advocating vertical video, you ARE, so please stop saying it, because you're not convincing anyone here. That's the WHOLE POINT of this.... ...and why we have asked people to share it so the dumb can be educated. I'm so happy you approve. See point #1 again...

We actually investigated that option as it is a feature we could add to the forums. But we realized if we did that, thanks to lazy-as-fuck humanity, less and less people would actually contribute to a post and instead of just click a button.

Do you think I'd live in a house that has some crappy Wal-Mart TV stand and 1960s curtains?

I don't understand why people keep defending the stupidity of shooting vertical video unless they are just as stupid to shoot vertical video themselves. There is literally *NO REASON* to do this unless you're a complete moron that doesn't understand how video works. There is no excuse you can tell me that will convince me otherwise. Does your TV look like this at home?No? Then why would you shoot video like that on your phone? I'll tell you why, because humanity is getting dumber and dumber and when "dumb" becomes the "norm" you don't realize that you're part of the problem instead of part of the solution. tl:dr - If you record vertical video on your phone, you're an idiot. No excuses.

You really thought that since there was no Terra Mitica thread it was a good idea to reply something totally unrelated in the "18 year old killed on Inferno" thread?!?!? Here's an idea: Start a new thread....

So you're suggesting that people should shoot vertical video on the off-chance there might be an investigation where someone may prefer that format? Which you have zero evidence to back up that claim? Wow, that's dumb. REALLY dumb. Here's an idea: why not just shoot video that doesn't make you look like a fucking moron?

Funny you mention that. Yes, actually. If we ever did a day st MK with a bunch of Kristen's friends for example, or had a "TPR Day" at MK, we would totally rent one! Not even a question!

Anyone?

Our next stop was Wild Wadi Water Park! We've been to this water park several times and we love it! I love their interconnecting Master Blaster system, they have some GREAT crazy out of control slides, two different types of Flow Riders, a great lazy river (actually two), and lots more to spend your day hanging out and playing in the water. Wild Wadi has a perfect mix of more thrilling slides and "relax and hang out" attractions. The park beautifully themed and has the backdrop of two of the most incredible looking hotels in Dubai, possibly the world! The first of course is Burj Al Arab also known as the "Sail" hotel and it is absolutely an icon of the UAE. The next is the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, which is another high end and absolutely stunning looking building! The other thing to note of awesomeness on this trip is that we are three days into our Dubai trip and we haven't ridden a single roller coaster yet! But we've been to lots of awesome places! This is my kind of trip! I don't have as many photos as the last couple of days because water parks are harder to photograph, but we do have some awesome videos! Please check these out! Here we are! We have arrived to Wild Wadi! One of our favorite water parks! Hey look! Wild Wadi has been using this RFID system for about ten years now. This band is used as your park entrance, to open your locker, charge items at stores and restaurants, interact with photographers around the park, and many other features. It's so great that water parks have been using this technology for so many years! When you walk into the park, you immediately notice the amazing backdrops this place has! You also notice some kick-ass slides, too! Both of these hotels are icons of Dubai. ProTip: Hotel guests get into Wild Wadi for free! So that's a nice little perk for staying at one of these nearby hotels! The theming around the park is also really well done! It feels like a "resort destination" and it's just beautiful! That across the wave pool is where Tantrum Alley and Burj Surj are! Both are AWESOME ProSlide water slides! (Watch the videos above) Here is one of the two Flow Riders they have at the park. The operators are great and really help you learn how to flowboard! Of course we have a cabana, because we don't believe in doing a water park without renting one! (What can we say? We're spoiled!) One of the main features of the park is it's "Master Blaster" system. There are two different entrances to the Master Blasters (One of them with front of the line access when you rent a cabana, BTW!) and from those two entrances, you can ride about 15 different slides through the Master Blaster system. The slides go all over the park! You can easily stay on it for 10-15 minutes without ever leaving your tube, maybe even more! And since the Master Blasters will eventually dump you out into the Lazy River, you can spend as long as you want without ever leaving a tube! And of course the views from the Master Blasters are awesome, too! Yes, the Master Blasters include the "TUNNEL OF DOOOOOOM!" (Again, watch the videos above!) While riding the Master Blasters, there are several places where you can "choose" where to go next. Each time you ride you can take different paths. I forget just how many different variations there are, but it's a LOT! No two trips on the Master Blaster are usually the same! And as I said, you get dumped into the lazy river, which is where we spent a lot of time because, well.... we're lazy! Yup, still hanging out here. It also helps that our cabana was right next to the lazy river! Dan, who hates water, spent most of the day in the lazy river. Someone want to figure that one out? We see you sail hotel! This is the other Flow Rider with the "curl" we saw lots and lots of people wipeout here. It was fun and entertaining... to watch at least! More wonderful views around the park! OH! Can we talk about the food for a moment? The food was NOT like what you'd expect for typical water park food! It was all really great! Much higher quality than any USA parks, but then again, this is Dubai and we've come to expect that! Some delicious hummus while hanging out in our cabana next to the lazy river! Just like at most USA water parks, you know! Having some fun with the underwater camera! And yes, while in the lazy river, photographers will take photos and just tap your RFID wristband and then they show up in your photo account! Love it! Again, this park has had this technology for TEN YEARS and it's great to see US parks like Six Flags adopting similar tech over the past few years! Lots of life vests in the wave pool today! Seriously the park is just beautiful! Loved the relaxing resort feel of the place. Heading back to the hotel now....I love all the buildings of Dubai... and there are a LOT of them! Even the damn school buses in Dubai are high end! lol Oddly enough, Dubai has managed to import just about EVERY restaurant chain you can think of. Here's Which Wich! I've only seen a few Chickenow restaurants in the USA! And not only US chains, but all over the world! Tonight's restaurant of choice is UK-based Wagamama! We *LOVE* Wagamama! It's such a funky concept. Very "European" in many ways. It hasn't done well in the US, but that's fine, I don't think we deserve cool places like this anyway. The Chicken Katsu Curry is delicious! The girls loved their meal! If you are ever in Europe or Dubai, be sure to find out if there is a Wagamama near you! It's amazing! Thanks again for reading! We will be back with another installment soon! Oh yes, be sure to POST YOUR COMMENTS!!! (we took the time to write the report, the least you could do is say something nice about it!)

The problem with this logic is that so often stuff ends up being on TV anyway. And your phone works for video just fine horizontally as it does vertically. So why would there ever be a reason where you *NEED* to film vertically? There are people who say "because of snapchat" but I post horizontal videos to our snapchat all the time, too. It's just a real shame that this is starting to become "acceptable" and it just further shows how humanity is going further down the road to Idiocracy. Soon we will all be watching "Ow! My Balls" vertically on our phones. I hope I'm dead before that day comes.

Is anyone interested in attending the Dorney Park media day for TPR in the morning of May 18th? You need to be over 18 years old, well behaved and be able to take great photos and video and willing to post a trip report to the TPR forums. Please contact robbalvey@themeparkreview.com if you are interested.

Because they have more expensive lawyers?

The opening shot and all but ONE of the later off-ride shots were filmed with a cell phone from the ground which is what I was talking about. Seriously, could you PLEASE stop posting stupid comments to our forum? You make my brain hurt.

This footage of the world's tallest drop tower would politely disagree with you!

Another reason why I hate all the phones now going to giant tablet size and why I still have my cute little iPhone SE which I can perfectly operate in any orientation with one hand. I forget with these giant sized phones now you have to use two hands to hold it horizontally, which makes lazy people even more lazier. I refuse to have a phone bigger than what the iPhone 5 was. To me that was the PERFECT size phone and a "dazzling display of common sense." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O99m7lebirE Of course now that Steve Jobs is dead we have this crap...

What is even more baffling to me is how after all these years people still don't know how to record video on their cell phone...

This is one of my favorite photos from Mickey's Not-So-Scary last year. We joked that we were riding Space Mountain holding (count 'em) TEN bags of candy, along with a sword, a shield, all of our phones and other stuff, and down the street at Universal if I had just ONE PIECE OF CANDY in my pocket I would be shouted at and told to go put it in a locker, because HOW DARE I RIDE THEIR ROLLER COASTERS with a small piece of candy in my pocket. The rule is just so ridiculous and insulting it's not even funny.

THIS! A million times THIS!!!! I absolutely refuse to go on any coaster at Universal Orlando where I have to surrender all my crap including my phone to ride. There are so many better ways of doing this and having to put all my stuff away, then go through a metal detector, and not being able to even use my phone in line and be trusted to put it in a bin off to the side or secure in my cargo pocket is ridiculous and I will not support it. And really, it's not even just not being able to take my stuff, it's the combination of that AND the horrible lockers they have there. I have only been on a coaster at Universal three times since this all happened and EVERY SINGLE TIME I got stuck having to wait in line to get a locker, then wait in line to open my locker. Each time was 3-5 minutes, and while that's not a lot of time, it's just an additional annoyance. And one of the times my locker wouldn't re-open because a bank of lockers has gone done, and we had to wait even longer for an employee to come fix it so I could get my crap. I hate this system. It's the absolute worst and it's completely an insulting way to treat their guests. And oddly enough, one of their sister parks in Japan has a FANTASTIC method of securing everyone's items without holding up dispatches in the station. (see our most recent Japan trip report for it.) IMO it's even more embarrassing for the park that they resort to such a terrible guest experience when one of their other parks are doing a great job with it. Why can't they just adopt the system that works instead of having a system that is full of annoyance? This is quite possibly one of my biggest theme park pet peeves.

It's right there on your setting screen...

I watched several trains on Big Thunder get checked today. Two operators are able to check 15 rows of restraints in about 7 to 10 seconds. Granted there is only one lap bar per row, but as they walk down their half of the train doing the "push up" motion to the guests, and then the guests push up on their bar, it all seems to work so well and so efficiently. The only reason one of the trains took 10 seconds was because the ride op has to wait for a couple of seconds for a guest to finish putting their bad in the little holder on the train. Oh I'd also like to point out that we took a tripod, two bags, four cell phones, and 2 bottles of drinks on the ride without any problem at all tonight. On top of having all of our trains lap bars checked in 7 seconds. The things that Disney is able to do with their operations is just mind blowing something. It amazes me that more parks don't learn from this and adapt. But not even the other major parks here in Orlando seem to be able to match what Disney does.

Your words don't even make sense.

You were what... 16 years old operating Freefall at Magic Mountain? And now you're in rides management at one of the top ten most visited parks in the country? What do you know???

Maybe in China, yes, but I don't think I have *ever* seen a "worn out seatbelt" on any roller coaster at any major or even minor park.