Johnny Upsidedown

Nice Dave. I wanted to make that event just for the tour. Looks like it was a blast.

Another update, 4-17-07 Supports are up around most of the brake run to the station and to the lift. The far end turn around footers are poured. They are working at least 18 hours a day 7 days a week. We have confirmed that the small kiddie train which runs where the starliner is will stay. So the kiddie train will go under the starliner and run the lenght of it. It sould be pretty cool. A freind Greg has lots of new photos from today. Go here http://cypressgardens.homeip.net/ for a local fan site. And the latest photos are here http://cypressgardens.homeip.net/search.php?SearchTerms=Starliner%20Construction Greg also has lots of photso of the kiddie ride moves that have occured. Just take a look on the front page of his site. I hope to have more photos in the next 4 or 5 days.

Thanks everybody, as for why keep an old coaster. They have been able to reuse about 35 percent of the lumber as most has rotted in the field. The coaster will have all new track, and I have been told about 65 to 70 percent of the structure will be new. I have heard that new trains were on the way, I was lead to believe they were going to reuse the old trains just rebuilt. So have to try and confirm that. Otherwise the oweners felt it was a worth while project at the time. Bought and moved for under a million, they will spend another couple million on rebuild and other park upgrades including a ton of kiddie ride moves. More as it happens.

What is happening with the Starliner. A little back ground information, after months and months of delays due to some permit issues, work began a couple weeks ago in the last part of March. Since then alot of work has been done on the ride. Current construction is mainly in the front area where the station will be. They have begun to add supports from the start of the lift hill back around the station. The far end turn around work is progressing with footer work and looks like most of the land clearing has been done. The ride is now being advertised as a Summer opening. Opening will be around end of June hopefully. I will have at least weekly updates of construction here http://www.johnnyupsidedown.com/starliner.html I will updated this tread every week with photos. Here are a couple from todays update lots more to view at the above link

All though we got to attend Media Day. Because of the way they did the Dolly photo and the way they did the first rides. I missed most of the official stuff becuase of waiting in line to ride. I was going to go as you guys part of the media and you probably would have seen me. I would have liked to been there as part of the media but because I did the auction instead, thats just the way things worked out. It was cool to be apart of the event and of coarse got some great photo and some rides on the MM>

More stuff to look at as I have a small write up from my EBAY auction winnings and of the Media event. More photos of the Mystery Mine a scan of the invite, tshits from the event and my commerative plaque. All though the real signed photo is not in the frame as it is on the way in the mail, Dolly didnt have time to sign. More stuff here and a couple below. http://www.johnnyupsidedown.com/eventDLW1.html

There were a ton of VIP people at the park. I was very surprised to see that many people. I have my basic photo page up, here showing most of the good photos http://www.johnnyupsidedown.com/new2007mm.html I will have some more photos of the crowds, invite card, onride photo, and a small write up. Hopefully get that up by tomorrow. Takes forever for me to write stuff. Plus I have to make a trip over to Cypress Gardens for more Starliner photos this weekend. Did you shoot any other photos of Dolly while in the station area. I wish I could have snapped one of her but we didnt have time or access because of the way that the photos were done. More later. This is just the VIP people,

Hey Dave I should have had you shoot an extra shot while I got my photo with Dolly. I was one of the EBAY winners, it was pretty cool to meet Dolly and get a hug. I also have a bunch of photos up on mysite and am working on my TR and other photos.

I saw this the other day, I just thought it was an Aprils Fool Joke. Guess not.

From what I remember, the color was chosen because it will blend into the sky. BGW was required to paint it an un-obtrusive color. Like you are going to hide a 205 foot tall steel structure no matter what color it is.

Thanks for the insite on the ride stats. Nice photos looks like it was rather cold though. J.

Well, I was out at Cypress Gardens for a look around today 12-10-06. Current status of the Starliner is no work what so ever has been done. No markers, no tree clearing and no construction fences. I am assumeing that they are going to wait until the first of the year to start reconstruction as to let the Holidays pass. I have a hard time believeing that they will have it done by Spring 07 as advertised in the park but we shall see as time goes. On to the photos...... I have photos up showing --- Where the station and front part of ride will be and photos showing the area of the turn around. Got some real upclose photos of the Starliner stacked up in the field. And a bunch of close ups of the trains that is on site at Cypress Gardens usually located at the enctance.. Anyway just the first of many updates, so I will post as work gets going but for now enjoy todays photos at www.johnnyupisdedown.com or go to the photos here http://www.johnnyupsidedown.com/new2007s.html Here is a few one of the area the ride will be, One of Starliner stacked, and one of the train. Enjoy!!

Okay. Here is one last sad photo for everybodies viewing displeasure. She is all gone now except a few chuncks of concrete. I have a couple more photos up on my site from today go here for more phtoos http://www.johnnyupsidedown.com/eventBGT13.html

A friend sent in some extra photos of Python demolition which I have added to my photos that I posted from earlier today. Here is one of a few, thanks Sam.

Certainly didnt take much care in its removal. I assume it is headed to a local scrap yard. Something like $10 a ton. It looks like either they used a metal bucket that will cut through the tubes and possibly they are torching. Looks like a machine just clamped on and snaped the track in half. Oh well. Wish I could have gotten a better look but the construction fences they have are huge and cant see over them..

Okay feel chilly about this here is an R rated gore shot of Python . I was able to get a few shots of the demolitions, this is the best one. I have a few more if you want to look. http://www.johnnyupsidedown.com/eventBGT13.html J.

Looks like your doing my nephews homework, he is 5. I have to agree though great post, worth a smile and a laugh. Looks like you had fun on the CP trip.

I really hope that this is just a rumor. I dont see much of a benifit to modifying the trains to a flooless. The main problem I see is that it will slow the boarding process makeing for longer lines on buisy days. Let alone I just cant imagine the justification for them to change the ride now. It just doesnt make much sense to make the modification to a floorless. But then again once we get to ride Griffon the opions on floorless may change a little.

While I hate to see anybody injured at an amusement park. But how long before we see seat belts and over the shoulder restrants on the trams. Thank god the monorail is enclosed.

Well either the Starliner is getting announced or maybe they are trying to do some kind of Christmass thing at the park and are starting the advertising to try and get some interest. Starliner would be my guess.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/10/28/Business/Last_run__Busch_Garde.shtml The latest. TAMPA - The Python - touted as Florida's first looping steel roller coaster - will be quietly retired in a few days and dismantled, ending a 30-year run at Busch Gardens. The black-and-yellow double corkscrew will disappear behind a construction wall when the theme park closes Tuesday. "It will not run again," said Gerard Hoeppner, park spokesman, confirming a Times report a month ago when the park took out a demolition permit for the area around the Python. "It will be replaced by an experience you won't find anywhere else, but it's going to be 2008 before the construction fences come down. This will be the biggest expansion of an area of the park we have ever done." The Python opened as a thrill ride, but in today's can-you-top-this environment, it's considered by most coaster fanatics a tame ride down memory lane. Many coaster enthusiasts were introduced to the genre from the Python. The ride provided enough lift to Busch attendance that the park built six more coasters, if you count Gwazi's twin mirror-image wooden tracks as two coasters. The Python's unceremonious end comes as Busch begins an overhaul of the Congo area that includes its Claw Island white Tiger exhibit. After renovating five other African-themed activity centers in the park as well as the parking lots and front gate, Busch officials made it clear the Congo was next for an upgrade . But they've been secretive about what's coming beyond new state-of-art habitats for the tigers and an orangutan displaced by SheiKra, Busch Gardens latest thrill ride.

Seems BGT has decided that the last operating day of Python is going to be October 31th, 2006. ACE Florida region was trying to put together a last ride event but looks like there is no time to arrange anything. Seems there wont be anytype of Media attention given to the closing of the ride. I hope to make it by the park for a last spin and some photos from tuesday. ACE has an impromptu meet up tomorrow (sunday) at BGT for those that are around.

New construction photos are up on my site at www.johnnyupsidedown.com I was out at Busch yesterday for some photos of the construction. Not much new has been done. It was a beautiful day for photos here are a couple and the rest can be seen here http://www.johnnyupsidedown.com/new2007gf.html

Favorite element is a Batwing on a B&M inverted coaster. Second favorite element as big drop like MFs main drop, that falling off a building feeling.

Thats great news. I bet WILL is already planning the next great addition. Glad to see they hit there projection on attendance. On one of the tours I went on at Holiday World, Will had said that if they get the attendance up that we could look for lots more additions to the park.