DCody

I'm late to the party here, but that video is amazing. I would book my first cruise TOMORROW if I knew it involved getting dragged across the floor by a runaway leopard print piano.

Holiday World looks AWESOME. Seething with jealousy here. Hope you guys have fun at SFGam (my childhood home park...sniff.)

It's a veritable Schlitterdion! Seriously. I'm thinking bonus credit on TPR Florida trip?

I am so jealous. A lazy river? I would never leave! http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/celine-dion-builds-water-park_1140717

$2.50 is nothing when you think about some of the awful upcharge attractions in Vegas. This is a good idea.

Cool! I was in Thessaloniki last year and never realized there was a park. 'Course, it was November and freezing... I love seeing photos of the smaller, obscure parks.

^^ I love Viper! I always get a good ride on it and I hope it stays at SFMM for a long time.

Shockwave was a BIG, BIG DEAL when it was built. I was a fifth grader in the Chicago suburbs at the time, and I remember all the conversations about who would be brave enough to ride Shockwave in the spring. Those high loops were something totally new. Shockwave was always a very forceful ride; I remember kids complaining about that like 20 years ago, so it's not like it was buttery-smooth in the beginning. The coaster was such an icon of the "taller, faster, more inversions" era; I too wish it had stayed in Orleans Place. Not at the expense of Whizzer, of course, but a S:UF clone is not worthy.

Thanks, Robb! That's really helpful. They should have a cruise just for people who like to talk about roller coasters and sharks eating babies. If that was the case, I would happily BUNK with a party of strangers, let alone dine!

Re: the Bon Voyage program. I agree with Elissa that some "visitor" is bound to fudge things up immediately. Cool idea, though. We've decided to do our first-ever cruise in Spring of 2010. The Norwegian commercials have enticed us by making it seem like all other cruises will force you to eat with psycho strangers. Is this true? Do we have to "freestyle cruise" to choose tablemates, or will any cruise let us be an ordinary restaurant-style party of 5? (We're planning to go with my parents and brother.) Don't get me wrong, I like meeting new friends on vacation, but I know a "mixed table" would be a deal-breaker for my antisocial husband. Google has not been my friend in this instance. I get the "two seatings" concept, but not the tablemates thing.

If it means I get to ride in a cramped SUV with Jeff Goldblum, I'd totally go. ROAAAAAAAR!

Water is the reason New York bagels have a unique chewiness that can't really be replicated anywhere else. Even the LA bagel shops will admit as much. I haven't been to WDW since I was 12, but I think next year is going to be the year to go. I can't wait to relive the magic as an old, weary, food-obsessed coaster geek.

This ride looks cute and fun! Seems like something SFMM needs, too.

I had never heard of this park, or this amazing coaster. Thank you so much for the post. Is it just me, or do old coasters always look like they went faster? It's not just the film speed, I swear.

Thank you for the Shockwave footage, Shane! I liked the little taste of Tidal Wave at the end too.

Favorite new coaster X/X2 - Favorite new ride Tower of Terror at DCA - Most memorable park moment Getting engaged at SFMM and/or our wedding day at Coney Island - Most memorable coaster moment Riding X for the first time - Best ERT session Ravine Flyer II in the lightning storm! - Least favorite coaster Carolina Cobra - Least favorite ride Any swinging pirate ship anywhere! - Least favorite park Carowinds - Most interesting ride you've seen introduced Intamin Zac-Spin - Least interesting ride you've seen introduced I really hate those laser shooter games where you get a score at the end. Oh, and all those Dark Knight clones! - Your favorite TPR moment (favorite post, trip report, video, whatever!) Behind the scenes tour of Mystery Mine! - The decade's biggest flop Son of Beast - The decade's biggest success Probably something Disney. I don't know, I'm so out of touch. - The best meal you've had at a park A free spread at Mooseburger at SFMM on Terminator Media Day. Cheese fries! - The worst meal you've had at a park I remember some sketchy food at NASCAR Speed Park - What was the biggest trend of this past decade? Is it just me, or does no one care about inversions anymore?

I can only assume Coaster is so underrated because it's hidden away in the Pacific Northwest, which isn't exactly an enthusiasts' mecca. It completely blew me away and is probably my #3 woodie.

That looks super fun. I wish Chance would do a Zipper (or Turbo!) "re-release", though...I miss those guys, and this ride gives me a pang of nostalgia. (/oldskool)

Viper is my favorite mega-looper. I haven't had a bad ride on it. The front seat is awesome. Maybe it's because I'm a child of the '70s/'80s and a big Arrow just feels like the quintessential "roller coaster" to me, but I think Viper is rad!

AHHHH! Big Mike, I grew up going to Haunted Trails. Oh, the memories. Great TR!

I think Knott's is a fine park terms of rides. Xcelerator is world class, I'll never complain about a Schwarzkopf shuttle, and my non-enthusiast friends think Silver Bullet is amazing-- which means it's doing its job. Plus, a few weeks ago, I actually got a decent ride on Ghostrider. I know, astonishing! Still, the overall mood of the park is weirdly soulless. I never have a great time there-- I usually just go to get my launched-coaster fix, since SFMM is lacking in that department. Nothing at Knott's flows properly. I think Pony Express is a cute ride, but its placement and theming feels random. The whole place just has that vacant, icky CF feel. I wish I could have experienced "old Knott's." All that said, I am really excited about Demon Drop. For whatever reason, in all my time as a theme park geek, I have never been on an Intamin first-gen freefall. My husband insists it's the best drop tower experience out there, so I will actually be one of the losers who runs to Knott's right away for this thrilling "new" ride! (However, I'll agree that it is a really random and possibly dumb acquisition, given Supreme Scream.)

I want to ride Kick Boodie so bad! JEALOUS! And German fair rides are awesome.

I went through a very hardcore defunct parks phase about 10 years ago. There are photos of me standing in the (almost completely nonexistent) "ruins" of Riverview Park in Chicago, CRYING. I used to make people go there with me, and they'd be like "Wow, a bolt." And I'd be like "THIS WAS THE GREATEST PARK IN AMERICA, DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?!"

15/20, but I missed one that I TOTALLY should have gotten; it was about a coaster I just rode a few months ago!

The mistake here was in the marketing-- the director Greg Mottola always intended it to be a small, bittersweet coming-of-age movie, whereas the studio made it seem like it was going to be a Superbad-esque comedy in an amusement park. I can see why some people were disappointed and/or confused. When I saw it in the theater, people were actually complaining as they walked out. They wanted "McLovin" and instead they got Kristen Stewart moping about her stepmother. I thought it was refreshing to see something smart and quiet that was definitely NOT aiming for a mainstream comedy audience. That was a bold move for a big, studio movie by a "hot" director. It's very hard to get a movie like Adventureland made, so I admire Mottola for sticking to his guns and doing something deeply personal. P.S. I love this movie, but that's besides the point!