rollermonkey

Leap the Dips

Strangely enough, I didn't bring either of my "real" cameras, only my cell phone, but I didn't take a pic since I couldn't make out the base where the crane was set. Chris B

Atomic Coaster

One track, but it seems like at least a dozen trains running on it! The theming continues through the station, and although my rides have been after nightfall, it seems that like the Paris ride, the theming is visible during the ride itself as well. (The ride is semi-enclosed due to all of the arches, walls, etc.) Chris B

Orobruco Tour

Orochi Chris B

Glad you guys got some sleep! DisneySea looked a like there was actually some people there! TDL was actually less crowded than my Xmas 2003 visit, so even though I didn't get there until 12 and left before 7, we got in several rides including the Haunted Mansion Nightmare Holiday Thingamabob. The stores were restocked, but so crowded even Mayumi didn't feel like fighting through to buy anything! What did you guys end up doing today while I was stuck at work? Have a safe flight back to LaLaLand! Chris B (See you in June!)

I was at Tokyo DisneyLand on New Year's Day. I went with the expectation that it would be crowded, and I wasn't let down. It wasn't as bad as Xmas 2003 though, so I had a pretty decent time. I noticed a few things between this visit and my trip to DisneySea in mid-December: ToT is ginormous! It looks so huge as you drive around the back of the resort past the ship and entrance to DS's parking garages! There is a new crane between the two parks. I didn't see it from DS, so I don't think it was there yet, but it is very obvious from the FantasyLand section of the park. It appears to be behind Critter Country, but not actually inside DS. Does anybody know what's going on in the mystery zone between the two parks? It's a pretty tall crane. Chris B

Air Chris B

If I knew how to include one of your photos in a quote, I'd have the lady dangling by her hair with the reply: She's not smiling, that's just her face being pulled off by the tension on the back of her head! Chris B

Nio Chris B

As much as I'd love to take credit for getting Robb, Elissa and Quaker into the Countdown Party, my wife Mayumi actually was the one to bid (via cellphone!) on the Yahoo auction for the tickets. She's mostly just surprised that there are people out there that are MORE insane about coasters than I am. Chris B

Batflyer at Nasu Highlands... In the snow... and sub-zero tempuratures... with the Alveys! Chris B

Treetop Racer Chris B

I believe that one reason that most of the parks here (NOT the ones in Hokkaido!) are open year-round has to do with the absence of the concept of seasonal employment. The kids go to school pretty much all year, (I think the summer break is only about a month long!) so they aren't an option for the seasonal work force. Since company loyalty is a major concept over here still, people often work for the same company for their whole life. One example is that the same operator for each coaster in August was working the same ride on New Year's Eve! Chris B

One of the main reasons I chose to take orders to Japan was because I knew that Japan is #2 in the world to the US for total number of coasters, and since it's not too big, I figure I can hit many of them before I leave. The bad part is there are so many parks, and so many only have one or two coasters! Chris B (Oh, and I ended up with a wife, too!)

Wow, a month? Amazing. I wish you had dropped me a line, I'm starved for coasterphile company out here! Chris B

I am so upset that I had to waste my Xmas vacation opportunity to go to Malaysia, get married in Japan and honeymoon in Guam instead of tag along with TPR in Kyushu and Southern Honshu!! Chris B (Just kidding honey!)

I think DCA was meant to be a more "teenager" park, sort of the disney version of state fair/Knott's/Magic Mountain-except with "Disneyfied" rides. I mean, they tamed down Mullholland Madness-aren't Wild Mouse rides supposed to be rough? And yet they still managed to hurt people on Calfornia Screamin'? Maybe they need a REAL woodie AND a Silver Bullet/Tatsu suspended style coaster. Plus a Fireball or Giant Frisbee. Maybe a Twin Flip or Space Shuttle (or a non-lethal Mission Space). Plus they need to bring back the People Mover and use it as a shuttle from the main park to DCA and rework the Monorail track to have a stop at the back of DCA, say right around the coasters... At first I was going to say that if they did all that it wouldn't be a Disney park at all, then I saw your eye roll! Chris B

Wow, Disney on the cheap? Weird. Maybe EE's budget ran over and they had to steal from MI! Chris B

Sounds like something from Futurama... Chris B

Quick Japanese/Korean to TPR to English translations: The ettiquette bell: It's only found in women's restrooms in Korea and Japan. Some women are so modest that they are embarrassed by the sounds of evacuation, whether #1 or #2. These gadgets have proven so popular that they are now sold for the home over here. The electric toilet seat: In homes, they tend to use electric or kerosene space heaters and only heat one room at a time. The toilet room is too small for a floor heater, and it gets really cold because they usually leave the window open a bit. So, to avoid modesty issues as one's backside comes into contact with an ice ring, they have heated toilet seats. Outside of the US, bidets and "toilet showerheads" are the norm. The heated seat includes built in water sprayers that typically heat the water. The "3" is a but and washes the appropriate area. The other button is for women, and washes that place for them. I have one of these in my apartment, and the heated seat is actually pretty neat, although I use TP like an American! When I was at Space World, the area that was the Gundam museum had Gojira 50th anniversary stuff instead. Oh, Godzilla. I see that Venus is no longer sponsored by Japan Airlines (JAL) but you can see that it used to be! I'll ask my wife to translate the name of the Jet Coaster, my reading comprehension is about 0.1% at this point! It's true about the vending machines, though. In the right areas of Tokyo there are undergarments, beer, ties as well as food and soft drinks. Hey, Dan the new burger at Japanese McD's isn't rabbit. It's two quarter pound patties with demiglace sauce and kinoko mushrooms with mayo, cheese and onions. Yummy! The Black Hole Scramble isn't really a Gundam ride. For the Gundam ride you need to go to Fuji-Q Highlands. They have Star Tours pods with original anime and CG from the Gundam universe! It's actually pretty good. ^Waterviper, that does look the same! However, the butterfly is actually the name of the 2 inversion element where you go half-cork, half-loop, half-loop, half-cork. (In RCT1-2 terms.) It's the inverse of how a cobra roll is made. On Vortex and Titan's track similar section there's no inversion. Chris B

Hey, Robb, I forgot to mention: GE999 had tons more lighting this time! I don't know if it was part of the "Xmas decor" or just added theming since I rode it the first time, but it was interesting. I agree that they could have some much better operations! Maybe if it gets busy they increase the dispatch frequency? Chris B

Er, Japanese people don't celebrate Xmas in the way that Christians do. It's purely a commercial occasion here. Typically only one gift is given to each person. (Boyfriend, irlfriend, child, etc.) If it falls during the work week, it's not even a day off from work for most folks. I went shopping with my wife yesterday, ate out, met the Alveys at McDonald's and fought the same amount of traffic as if it was just another day. Chris B (It is terrible for the families involved, but compared to last year's train disaster near Osaka (100+ dead), this one was comaratively minor in casualties.

Hey R,E + Q! I can't wait to see HKDL, I was supposed to get there last month, but my ship went to the coasterless island of Okinawa instead. Boo! Chris B