BarryH

UPDATE 8/14: Due to circumstances beyond my control, I am discontinuing the UK trip DVDs. They will be integrated into a future coaster DVD video set, which will probably be released sometime next year. Those who have responded to this thread up to 8/14/06, 10:20 pm EST, can have the trip video for the low cost of...free! If you haven't done so, please PM or e-mail me your mailing address to get the video at a super low cost. Thanks! -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I've made my own DVD of TPR's outstanding UK trip. If you're thinking of a future TPR group trip and want to see how much fun they are, check out this DVD! "The United Kingdom (and beyond) Coaster Adventure" DVDs have the following parks and things: Disk 1: Opening (random UK trip foolishness) Walt Disney Studios (DLP Resort) Disneyland Paris (um, DLP Resort) Legoland Windsor Chessington Coney Beach Pleasure Park Oakwood Alton Towers Drayton Manor Big Mike's Lost Fries Southport Pleasureland The ERT Song Disk 2: Blackpool Lightwater Valley Flamingoland Pleasurewood Hills Joyland and Grand Yarmouth Pleasure Beach Thorpe Park (with birdicide) Tusenfryd Liseberg Back of the Bus Crew Antics James Loves Flamingoland BONUS: The infamous "Lady Gay" Dutch Wonderland video (version 2.0), IOA NOTE: DLP was not part of the official UK trip. If you live outside of North or south America, the charge is $10 due to additional shipping charges. I will also take a trade if you don't have the $. I can trade for a t-shirt (size: XL) from your local home park. The t-shirt has to be in good, wearable condition. Please don't trade me t-shirts with holes in it or poo-poo stains! If you do that, I will be quite urked and it'll end up in the "Bag O'Crap!" You can see samples of videos from the UK trip on the video board. If you're interested, you can PM or e-mail me at: barry.hom@netzero.com for a copy. If you want to Paypal me the money, my Paypal account is my e-mail address. If you went on the UK trip, you get a copy for free! Just PM or e-mail me. I know who went on the trip, so no tom trickery please! The DVDs will begin shipping after Labor Day. some of the UK trip people already have copies of the DVDs. Please post reviews or comments if you wish! Thanks! EDIT: PAL DVDs are available for those outside of North America. All other DVDs will be NTSC. Unless you specify if you want PAL or DVD (or if you send me your address and obviously live in a place that uses the PAL format), NTSC DVDs will be sent.

WTF?

I rode Gwazi Tiger recently. It was a little rough, but much better than it has been in years. It's still a sucky woodie, though.

^^Ryan was 16 on the UK trip and he seemed to survive the trip OK.

Well, I checked SFOG's operating hours on Tuesday, October 10 and they aren't open then. Sorry, you won't be riding any SFOG's coasters then.

Good riddance! The Python has given me so many headaches that I rarely ride it anymore. I still remember visiting BGA way back in the mid-80's during a high school trip. The two coasters there were the Python and the Scorpion. How times have changed... Maybe we can send the Python to BGE?

It looks like Dollywood is coming up with something for 2008. They sent me a survey on 3 ride concepts and 3 attractions/show concepts. Most of them didn't seem to exciting, but they seemed to cater more to families. I saved all the pictures and descriptions of the rides. I don't know if I should post them here. It seems disrespectful to Dollywood to post things the G.P. shouldn't see. But I will post if Robb or Elissa says OK.

If I recall correctly, from the entrance to the BGA parking area to the front gates is about 1/4 walk. The closest hotels to BGA are Days Inn and Baymont Inns. They're about 1/2 to 1 mile away. I've stayed at the Days Inn and it was king of ghetto. The Baymont Inns looks decent from the outside. The Baymont may have changed names recently since I can't find it listed on www.baymontinn.com. I stayed at a Red Roof Inn about 2 miles down. It was cheap, but rowdy. Cops were crawling around the place! I did a Google search and found some Tampa hotels that have a free shuttle to BGA: Doubletree: http://www.doubletree.com/en/dt/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=TPATFDT Embassy Suites: http://www.embassysuites.com/en/es/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=TPAFRES

What's up with this?

Can Nigel be our coach driver on all the trips?

Do you suppose Cedar Fair will buy SFEG? They can put in more trash cans and a Coasters Restaurant!

You go to the park alone and call yourself "sad and pathetic." You use the "sad and pathetic line" instead of the single riders line.

How much is a season pass at SFEG anyway? I'd guess it's $50.

Midwest or Japan...I can't decide! I think a future TPR trip has to be a Pennslyvania tour. Then we can all go to Dutch Wonderland and ride the Lady Gay! Imagine 50 TPR members on that tugboat. Alias, though, the boat will probably have th esame fate as the powered coaster at Coney Beach in the UK.

You eat at McDonald's a lot.

Although it doesn't have a lot of WDW pictures, I think www.allearsnet.com has the best unofficial WDW information. www.intercot.com is pretty good, too. For discounted park admission tickets, check with AAA. I also use www.ticketmania.com to buy discounted tickets. I've bought from them several times and I've had no problems. If you do visit www.wdwinfo.com, don't spend a dime with their WDW travel agency arm, Dreams Unlimited. I did work for them, but they never paid me for it. Grrr...

I know what Derek and Nicole will do in the hotel room. *wink wink*

SheiKra is about a 10-15 minute walk from the front gates. If you want to save your feet, take the skyride from the Egypt area to the Congo. It's not a timesaver, but definitely a footsaver. The skyride will probably have no line right at opening.

I seem to recall Robb and Elissa have ridden it. I know they rode a messed-up boomerang somewhere along the line, but I can't recall where.

Derek thought of Nicole again!

Is it just me or does Don have pointy ears? Is he a Vulcan?

What's up with this?

I planned for $50 each day, but I ended up spending about $20-$30 a day. Typcial food expeditures were $20 for 2 meals, since at least 1 meal was always included. I did put funny money away for souvenirs, but quite frankly, UK park souvenirs were pretty crappy. I found a Stealth t-shirt for $12 US, but it was still pretty blah.

I waited 45 minutes for Dueling Dragons once over Christmas and during HHN. I saw an 80 minute wait this summer. The most trains I've seen on Dragons is 2, even though they can use 3. The Hulk usually runs with 3 trains during busy times. BTW, the longest line I've seen for the Hulk is 110 minutes during HHN.

^We can party in R&E's Motel 6 room? Cool!