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I think the drop looks great. I was sorry I never made it to Christmas Town to see it for myself, this is the first year I have missed it. I can't wait to ride this coaster!

I went to Universal Orlando for my first time in 10 years last Wednesday and I picked a perfect day. The longest line I waited in all day was 20 minutes for MIB. I walked on Potter multiple times - it was a great day.

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, I thought it was OK but my 8 year old son says its his new favorite coaster.

Just announced more expansion plans for 2012: Here is the link to the press release that has a little bit more info: http://www.oceanbreezewaterpark.com/venues/0/Ocean%20Breeze%20Waterpark%20Adventure%20River.pdf

My highlight of the year (so far) was the Father's Day Busch Gardens Willamsburg trip with TPR. I really enjoyed the Curse of the Darkcastle lights-on walk through and all the behind the scenes stuff we did. Not to mention all the rides on Griffin and Alpengeist before the park opened. I love seeing areas of theme parks that the public normally does not, which brings me to... Saturday December 12, I have Breakfast with an Imagineer at the Disney Studios. We get to eat at a backstage area and get a guided tour through Toy Story Mania before the park opens. Really looking forward to it.

I am heading to Disney tomorrow for 12 days, I'll have to try to check this out. We are staying next door at the Wilderness Lodge so it wouldn't far to go.

It was a slow year for me so far... Busch Gardens Williamsburg Kings Dominion Hershey Dutch Wonderland Trimper's, Ocean City MD BUT - next week I'm hitting: Magic Kingdom Epcot Animal Kingdom Disney Studios Islands of Adventure Universal Orlando Sea World Busch Gardens Tampa

The updates through the day help me make it through work, please don't stop. Next year I'll be there (hopefully)

The Punkin Chunkin World Championship takes place the first weekend after Halloween in the town of Bridgeville Delaware. This year marked the 26th year for the competition, and my first visit. This is one of those events I have always wanted to go to, but have never been able to make it. Turns out, I should have gone BEFORE it became a "national phenomenon" due to the constant replaying of last years competition on Discovery Channel and Science Channel. Crowds were crazy, I went on Sunday with about 50,000 other people. I heard there were 75,000 there on Saturday and 3+ hour back ups trying to get into the event. Anyway, pictures: Welcome to Punkin Chunkin Here are the catapults, you can see the camera in the background This little catapult got 3rd place Here is the Fibonacci catapult for 2011 Pumpkin Cornhole - redneck game or dirty joke punchline? 'Merica Look at that cake - it has Tory, Kari, and Grant from the Mythbusters on it (guess which one was the nicest) Well, there is Grant without a helmet... ..and Kari in the red helmet (wasn't quick enough with the camera but its her) ...and Tory, just out working the crowd. Nicest celebrity I met all year. The cannons, this is why I came More cannons Just to send a 9 pound pumpkin 4000 feet This must be true, its written on a banner Did I mention the pumpkins travel so fast when they leave the barrel you cannot see them? The American Chunker, thanks for reading

I made it to HOS last night (Sunday October 16) and the park was surprisingly busy for a Sunday. The wait times for the mazes were around 45 minutes to an hour, so I opted for the Quick Que. I really liked the new mazes. Deadline was great, the last room really made the entire maze. I also thought 13 and Fear Fair were good. This was the first time I saw the work site for Verbolten, and its big. They seem to really be doing a ton of work during the week. The best view of the work site seems to be from the line Bitten. I just got a new camera and what better way to test it out than here. Bridge to Ireland, lots of pumpkins Ghosts seemed to have a problem getting around trees See you real soon in my dreams I'm sure Rats in France Our host for the evening, her creepy song is still going through my head Just a shell of a station I see a footer going in - right in front It was getting dark by the time I headed this way Its a little dark, but the drop track is in the back of this picture

I'm out, I've got too many of those already

Fresh Beer + empty bladder = ready for final round!

Lochness Monster?

arrow?

Is it yellow?

I wonder if that video was linked to the new QR codes on the construction signs. Busch Gardens posted on their Facebook on Friday (I think) that there were new QR codes to be found this past weekend. Scheduling is going to make it REAL hard for me to hit Holw-O-Scream this year, but I am still hoping.

Sign me up NOW! I always look forward to the Oktoberfest trip reports every year.

They seem to be getting hit pretty hard too. They have some pictures up on their Facebook page. www.facebook.com/DutchWonderlandPA

The first coaster I rode with inversions was Dragon Mountain at Marineland Theme Park. I was 10 years old and our family was visiting Niagara Falls. Turns out it was 1983, the year the coaster opened. From what I remember, you could not see the coaster at all from the park, just the lift hill. The park maps showed a volcano, a water fall, and all sorts of other things the coaster dove in and out of. I rode it, and the scenery was not complete on the other side of the hill. Rode it once, never been back to the park.

Extension - the ride is longer than it was when it first opened?

Dueling Dragons

via Busch Gardens Facebook: We had some things fall off shelves on my side of VA. Pretty scary stuff.

I saw a quick mention of it on WAVY 10 this morning. Probably would have been more; but, if you live in the Hampton Roads area ALL media has been focused on the opening of a "light rail" system in Norfolk yesterday. I got an email from the park telling me it was open, as well as the Facebook and Twitter updates. Off to Williamsburg I go.....

I am going tomorrow (Saturday) also. I would have loved to have gone today, but I had to work. I think Saturday is the final night of Illumanights also.

I am going Saturday to see Colbie Caillat, looking forward to the park visit more so than the concert. I haven't been to BG since TPR day last month.